Long term memory

• Duration of LTM experiment- Bahrick et al (1975)

  • 397 participants
  • 17-74 years old
  • Ohio, USA
• Duration of LTM experiment- Bharick et al


  Used a high school yearbook to test:

  • Photo recognition test of 50 photos
  • Free recall name test
• Duration of LTM experiment- Results


  Photo recognition

  15 years later- 90% accurate

  48 years later- 70% accurate
• Duration of LTM experiment- Results


  Free recall

  15 years later- 60% accurate

  48 years later- 30% accurate
• LTM coding conclusions

  Capacity- unlimited

  Duration- A lifetime

  Encoding- semantic
• Tulving (1985)


  Said that LTM had 3 types:

  1. Episodic
  2. Semantic
  3. Procedural
• Episodic memory

  • Past experiences (time stamped)
  • Includes several elements
  • Time and place specific
  • Effort needed to recall
• Semantic memory

  • General, factual knowledge
  • Concepts, rules, language
  • Can be used without reference to time and place (no emotions)
• Procedural

  • Cannot be inspected consciously
  • Skills and abilities
  • Muscle memory based- Automatic through practice
  • Can be recalled unconsciously
  • More resistant to ammnesia
• Evidence of types of LTM- Clive wearing


  Affected by a viral infection that damaged his hypocamus
• Clive wearing case


  Semantic memory- Unaffected

  Episodic memory- Severely impacted (cant remember seeing his wife 30 mins ago)

  Procedural memory- Intact (can play piano)
• Clive wearing case- Counterpoint

  • Clinical studies arnet perfect
  • Brain injuries were unexpected so researchers have no previous knowledge of Clive memory
• Clive wearing case- Advantages

  Allows psychologists to aid memory problems

  1. Elderly people experience memory loss
  2. researchers show in episodic memory
  3. Devised intervention to improve memories
• Types of LTM in the brain


  Episodic- Hypo campus
• Types of LTM in the brain


  Semantic- Left prefrontal cortex