Types of long-term memory Flashcards
What is episodic memory?
Personal memories of events such as what you ddi yesterday. This kind of memory includes contextual details and emotional tone.
What is procedural memory?
Memory of how to do things, for example riding a bike. Such memories are automatic as the result of repeated practice. (implicit)
What is semantic memory?
Shared memories for facts and knowledge. These memories may be concrete such as knowing that ice is made of water.
What is a positive of types of long-term memory?
Support from the different types of long-term memory comes from brain scans. Research shows that different areas of the brain are active when using different types of long-term memory. Episodic emory is associated with the hippocampus and temporal lobe, semantic is the temporal lobe and procedural memory is cerebellum. This suggests that the three types of long-term memory are separate and found in different areas of the brain.
What is a positive of types of long-term memory?
Further support comes from case studies. The case of the patient HM highlights the distinction between procedural and declarative memories. After surgery, patient HM could still form new memories but he was unable to form episodic/semantic memories. He was able to draw a figure by looking in a mirror but could not remember learning this skill. This supports the distinction of procedural and episodic and semantic memories.
What is a criticism of types of long-term memory?
A criticism of research investigating LTM is the possibility of a fourth type of LTM. Research investigating priming describes how implicit memories influence the response a person makes. Priming is controlled by a brain system separate from the temporal system that supports explicit memory which has led to the suggestion of a fourth type of LTM. This suggests that the original theory of LTM is too simplistic and other types of LTM may exist.
