Types Of LTM Flashcards
Who proposed this theory
Tulving et al (1985)
What are the 3 types of LM that Tulving proposed
-Episodic
-Semantic
-Procedural
Is episodic memory explicit memory or implicit
Explicit
Is semantic memory explicit or implicit
Explicit
Is procedural memory explicit or implicit
Implicit
Meaning of explicit
-They require a conscious effort to recall
Meaning of implicit
-Do not require a conscious effort to recall
What is episodic memory
-Memories involving personal experiences/ events from your life
Are episodic memories ‘time stamped’
-Yes, they include details about when and where the event occurred.
Example of episodic memory
-Remembering your first day of school, a family holiday or a birthday party
Areas of the brain associated with episodic memory
-The hippocampus and other areas of the brain such as the prefrontal cortex
What is semantic memory
-Knowledge of facts, concepts and meanings (factual information)
Is semantic memory time stamped?
NO
Example of semantic memory
-Knowing that London is the capital of England
Areas of the brain associated with the semantic memory
-The temporal lobe
What is procedural memory
-Memory of skills and actions (how to carry out an action)
-They enable us to perform tasks automatically free sufficient practise
Example of procedural memory
-Knowing how to ride a bike, drive a car etc
How does Clive Wearing’s case support this theory
-Suffered from amnesia that was caused by a viral infection. His episodic memory was impaired, however his procedural memory was intact (E.G he could still play the piano)
Areas of the brain associated with procedural memory
-Has been linked to areas such as the cerebellum and the motor cortex (no actual evidence/ research)
How does HM’s case support the theory (Scoville and Milner)
-After the removal of his hippocampus to remove his epilepsy, HM lost the ability to form new episodic and semantic memories, though his procedural memory remained intact. (E.G he could learn new motor skills like mirror drawing, but had not memory of learning it)
Strength of case studies (HM and CW) in supporting the theory
-Demonstrate that procedural, episodic and semantic memory are stored in different areas of the brain, providing real life support for Tulving’s theory of separate LTM stores
Limitation of case studies (HM and CW) in supporting the theory
-Case studies often lack generalisability. Patients like HM and Clive had unique injuries and may not represent typical memory processes. Additionally, the brain damage often affects multiple areas, making it difficult to establish cause and effect.
How does neuroimaging evidence by Tulving support this theory
-In Tulving’s study, participants were asked to perform tasks involving episodic and semantic memory while undergoing PET scans. He found that episodic tasks activated the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, while semantic tasks activated the temporal lobe.
-Further research has found linked procedural memory to the cerebellum and motor cortex as these areas are involved in motor skills and actions
Strength of neuroimaging evidence in supporting the theory
-Neuroimaging provides scientific, objective evidence for the physical reality of distinct LTM types, supporting Tulving’s theory. These methods allow researchers to link specific areas of the brain to different types of memory.
Limitations of neuroimaging evidence in supporting the theory
-Brain scanning studies are correlational as while they do show which areas are activated during tasks, they do not establish causation. E.G activity in the hippocampus during an episodic memory task does not prove that it exclusively controls episodic memory
Limitation of the theory
-LTM types may not be as distinct as Tulving suggested.
Evidence that the theory isn’t as simple as Tulving suggested (limitation)
-Research shows that patients with amnesia often show varying degrees of impairment across memory types. E.G semantic memory can be preserved while episodic memory is lost, but some research suggests these memories interact more than Tulving suggested
-E.G Cohen and Squire suggested a simpler distinction between declarative memory, which includes semantic and episodic memory, and non declarative memory, consisting of procedural memory. This challenges the idea that episodic and semantic memory are entirely independent . E.G The interaction of episodic and semantic memory is supported by real life examples where personal experiences often influence factual knowledge (E.G holiday to a country= learn facts)
Strengths of the challenges to this theory
-Criticisms of the theory highlight the complexity of memory, encouraging for further refinement of models like Tulving’s.
Limitation of challenges to the theory
-While alternative models may simplify LTM, they do not fully explain distinctions such as procedural memory’s independence from episodic and semantic memory.
