Types of LTM Flashcards
What is episodic memory?
It is a store of long term memory for personal events. It includes memories of when the events occurred and of the people, objects and behaviours involved.
Memories have to be retrieved consciously, with
effort.
What is semantic memory?
It is a long term memory store for our knowledge of the world. This includes facts and out knowledge of what concepts mean.
These memories usually also need to be recalled deliberately.
What is procedural memory?
It is a long term memory store for our knowledge of how to do things. This includes out memories of learned skills. We usually recall these memories without making a conscious or deliberate effort.
What was the procedure and result for Tulving et al (1994)
Tulving et al (1994) had participants perform various memory tasks while their brains were scanned with a PET scanner.
Episodic and semantic memories were in the prefrontal cortex;
semantic in the left side and episodic in the right prefrontal cortex.
What are the two subdivisions of LTM
Explicit (declarative):
conscious, can be put into words. (Semantic and episodic)
Implicit (non-declarative):
unconscious, not as easy to express in words. (Procedural)
What are the Brain Parts for Episodic Memory
Prefrontal cortex: within the frontal lobe, helps control the highest levels of thinking, and conscious functions
such as empathy, self-perception, and interaction.
Temporal lobe (above the ears): identifying objects, understanding language, and storing memories. They also play a role in emotions.
What are the Brain Parts for Semantic Memory?
Hippocampus: seahorse shaped brain structure involved in memory, learning, and emotion. It forms new memories and organizes them with
related memories and emotions.
Temporal lobe (above the ears): identifying
objects, understanding language, and storing
memories. They also play a role in emotions.
What are the Brain Parts for Procedural Memory
Basal Ganglia: associated with a variety of functions: motor control, cognitions and learning.
Cerebellum: helps with timing and coordination of movements, making them smooth and precise.
Evaluation: Three types of LTM or two?
P: A limitation is that it has been argued that there may only be two types of LTM.
E: Cohen and Squire (1980) argued that episodic and semantic memories are stored together in one LTM store called declarative memory (memories that can be continuously recalled).
C: They agreed that procedural memory is a distinctly different kind of memory to semantic/episodic and call it non-declarative.
Evaluation for LTM: Neuroimaging evidence
P: A strength is that there is evidence from brain scan studies that different types of memory are stored in different parts of the brain.
E: Tulving et al (1994) got their participants to perform various tasks while their brains were scanned using a PET scanner. They found that episodic
and semantic memories are both recalled from the prefrontal cortex.
C: This is a strength because it supports the view that there is a physical
reality to the different types of LTM within the brain. It has also been conformed may times in later research, supporting the validity of this finding.
Case study of CW
amnesia due to viral infection, before he was pianist but after couldn’t play he couldn’t remember much knew he had kids but didn’t know names he recognised second wife group happily every time lack of control of different variables in his studies cannot control precise location of brain damage all personal variables
