Types Of LTM Flashcards
Semantic memory
Stores knowledge of the world. No time-stamped, not as personal as episodic (more about facts and knowledge we all share)
Episodic memory
Stores memory of life events and experiences. It is complex: time-stamped, requires conscious effort to recall, involve several elements (people, places, objects behaviours woven into one memory)
Procedural memory
Stores memory of actions and skills. Recall does not require awareness or effort. Skills/actions become automatic with practice. Hard to explain step-to-step procedure as done without conscious recall
Case study support
HM and Clive Wearing, clinical study of amnesia
Difficulty recalling events (damage to episodic memory)
HM: dog (relatively unaffected semantic) & Clive: play piano (intact procedural)
Supports view different memory stores
// lack of control -> don’t know about memory before damage = limited explanation
Conflicting findings of LTM types and areas of brain
Peterson et al (reviewed research findings): episodic = left prefrontal cortex, semantic = right prefrontal cortex
// Tulvig (found opposite): episodic = right prefrontal cortex, semantic = left prefrontal cortex
Poor agreement challenges neurophysiological evidence to support types
Real world application (people with memory problems)
Memory loss in old age specific to episodic (hard to recall recent experiences / past memories intact)
Belleville et al. devised intervention: targeting episodic memory, memory improved compared to control group
Distinguishing between LTM types enable specific treatments to be developed
Unclear how closely related types are
Tulvig: episodic memory is ‘specialised subcategory’ of semantic = semantic can function with damaged episodic but not vica versa.
Patterson et al. some patients with Alzheimer’s can form new episodic memories but not new semantic
While episodic and semantic may be closely related, evidence to support they are ultimately different forms of LTM
