Types of long-term memory Flashcards
Outline the three types of LTM named on the specification.
Episodic- events and experiences (time/senses).
Semantic- facts and knowledge.
Procedural- skills and tasks.
Difference between episodic memory and semantic memory.
Episodic memory is memories from our life events and experiences. Whereas semantic memory are the factual and conceptual knowledge we have about the world.
Difference between semantic memory and procedural memory.
Semantic memory is memory of acquired knowledge- memorized facts or information.
Whereas procedural memory is you don’t think about how to do these tasks, you just do them.
Difference between procedural memory and episodic memory.
Procedural memory is retrieved subconsciously or automatically. Whereas episodic memory they are explicit memories, meaning they have to be consciously recalled.
Two pieces of evidence that support there being different types of LTM.
- The case of Clive Wearing supports that there are different types of LTM. Following a brain infection, Wearing’s procedural memory seemed intact, but his episodic memory was severely damaged.
- Brain scanning studies show that different areas of the brain are active when performing tasks involving different types of LTM.
One criticism of dividing LTM into three types.
One criticism of dividing long-term memory into three types is that it oversimplifies memory structures and processes.
Explain why people can remember some things but not others with amnesia.
Episodic memory was severely impaired due to amnesia. They struggle recalling past events but their semantic memory was somewhat unaffected e.g. they still understood the meaning of words.
Their procedural memories were also intact e.g. they knew how to read.
This evidence supports Tulving’s view about the different types of memory store in the LTM as when one store is damaged the others are unaffected.
It also shows that they are stored in different parts of the brain.
