Types of LTM

Question 1

what are the types of LTM

Answer 1

• procedural
• semantic
• episodic

Question 2

what are procedural memories

Answer 2

• Memory of how to do things i.e. riding a bicycle or driving.
• These memories require a lot of repetition and practice
• they are implicit, meaning we find them very difficult to explain even if we find the actions easy to perform.
• Procedural memories are automatic.

Question 3

what are semantic memories

Answer 3

• Memory for facts and knowledge about the world. → Like an encyclopedia or dictionary! E.g. the capital of England is London. E.g. your own name
• This is a type of explicit memory that everyone shares, its not personal. (memories that everyone shares + factual for everyone)
• Semantic memories usually start as episodic memories but progressively loose their association with particular events and only the knowledge remains.

Question 4

what are episodic memories

Answer 4

• Personal memories of events (episodes) i.e. your last birthday party, what you had for breakfast and your first day of school. Kind of like a diary!
• This is a type of explicit memory.
• These memories usually include details of an event, the context in which the event took place and emotions associated with the event.

Question 5

what are the +ve AO3 points

Answer 5

• distinguishing between episodic + semantic memories
• distinguishing between procedural and declarative memories
• Further evidence - neuroimaging studies
• Real life applications

Question 6

expand on the +ve AO3 point Distinguishing episodic and semantic memories

Answer 6

• Rosenbaum et al., 2005- K.F. had a motorcycle accident which left him with widespread brain damage (that includes large bilateral hippocampal lesions.)
• These caused memory impairment, most of his general knowledge of the world, including knowledge about himself is intact but he is incapable of recollecting any personal events, this “episodic amnesia” covers his entire lifetime.
• This shows that semantic memory and episodic memory are two distinct processes.
• Supports the idea of multiple types of LTM located in diff places

Question 7

expand on the +ve AO3 point Distinguishing between procedural and declarative memories

Answer 7

• HM and Clive Wearing both had brain damage which severely affected their episodic memory but their semantic and procedural memories were relatively intact.
• Clive Wearing could read and play very complex pieces of music on a piano.
  HM, after damage to his hippocampus, could still form new procedural memories eg drawing a figure by looking at his own reflection but had no memory that he had learnt this.
• They show that procedural memory is distinct from both semantic and episodic memory (declarative memories).
• Supports the idea there are multiple types of LTM located in diff places

Question 8

expand on the +ve AO3 point Further evidence - neuroimaging studies

Answer 8

• Tulving got Pp to perform memory tasks whilst using a PET scan.
• Episodic and semantic memories were recalled from the prefrontal cortex (left prefrontal cortex involved in recalling semantic memories
• right prefrontal cortex is where episodic memories were recalled).
• This supports that that there are different types of LTM and has been further supported by replicated studies

Question 9

expand on the +ve AO3 point real life applications

Answer 9

• Psychologists can target certain kinds of memory in order to better peoples lives. → strengthens the memories
• Belleville (2006) improved episodic memory in old people with mild cognitive impairment.
• Being able to distinguish between types of LTM allows specific treatment to be developed.

Question 10

expand on the -ve AO3 point Is there 3 or two types of LTM

Answer 10

• Research supports the idea that procedural memories are separate
• However, research argues episodic and semantic memories are stored as one and we can’t distinguish between the two