Typer of long term memory

• Where the 3 types of long term memory?


  Semantic, episodic and procedural
• define what is meant by semantic memory


  a memory or information that you understand the meaning of
• define what is meant by procedural memory


  a memory that is now an unconscious action and is hard to explain to others
• What is meant by Episodic memory?


  Refers to the ability to recall events from our lives
• what is the episodic memory like?


  a diary
• what is the semantic memory like?


  refers to a dictionary and an encyclopedia
• What are some facts about the episodic memory?

  It takes a conscious effort to recall

  It has several components

  It recalls events that have happened in the past

  It is time stamped

  And from other card it acts like a dairy
• what are some facts about the semantic memory?


  it isn’t time stamped

  it is less personal

  obtains an immense collection of material

  less vulnerable to distortion and forgetting
• Some facts about the procedural memory


  It doesn’t need a great deal of conscious effort to recall

  It is action and skills based on how you do things

  From other card - it is difficult to explain to someone
• 1 evaluation of the LTM types


  strength: clinical evidence HM& Clive Wearing - shown that even when a persons episodic memory is damaged that the other type of memory are still intact

  • this supports the types of LTM and suggests that separate stores exist
  • credits the theory
• 2 evaluation of the LTM types


  weakness/counterpoint: clinical studies lack control over variables

  • lack of ethics e.g. possibility of no informed consent
  • no control over the variables
  • no idea what HM or Clive Wearing were like before
  • findings cannot be generalised to the whole population as it is a case study -> small sample
• 3 evaluation of LTM types

  strength and weakness: neuroimaging Evidence Tulving 1994

  -> semantic memory on left side of brain

  -> episodic memory on the right side of prefrontal cortex, being encoded on the left & retrieved on the right of prefrontal cortex

  • supports the theory of the type of LTM are separate
  • 3 stores may not be so simplistic if episodic is retrieved, coded and stores separate from each other
• 4 evaluation of LTM types


  strength: Belleville 2006 -> able to identify aspects of LTM allows psychologists to target treatment at specific type of memory & improve quality of life in a patient

  • improving quality of life allows people to be more independent and less pressure is put onto society
  • ethically goo
  • makes the theory valid and accurate
• 5 evaluation of LTM types

  alternative modification: Cohen & Squire 1980 -> argued that there are only 2 types of LTM: declarative (episodic and semantic) and non-declarative (procedural)

  • suggests that the LTM is more complex - criticises the theory