Evaluation

• Evidence from the case of Clive Wearing can be used to support the different types of LTMs here. Clive Wearing lost most of his LTM for events yet his procedural memory appears to have escaped such damage. For example, he cannot remember his wedding day but can remember how to play the piano and how to physically walk. If LTM was one unitary store, both of these memory stores should be damaged. This supports the theory that there are separate long-term memories due to Wearing's episodic memory being damaged, yet his procedural memory escaped this damage.
• a limitation is that they tend to use case studies/limited number of participants. E.g., Clive Wearing was just one individual's experience of difficulties with long term memories who had a viral infection. Other studies may show very different results if this brain damage was due to other factors. Similarly, the damage has often already occurred when using these as participants. We do not know what their brains were like before this damage which makes controlling variables quite difficult. This is limitation because the results may be ungeneralisable to wider populations.
• Nevertheless, more controlled research using brain imaging techniques can be used to support the different types of LTM. Klimesch (1999) had patients complete a task that used their semantic memory and then another task that used their episodic memory whilst being given an EEG scan. It was found that each task was processed differently due to different electrical activity being identified at different locations of the brain whilst completing these tasks. This supports the theory that episodic and semantic memory are two separate and discrete types of long term memory.
• 1 - A strength is that useful applications can be taken from this. Gave insight into the fact that LTM is subdivided. Findings can be used to develop programmes that help to improve these memories. E.g., it is a well-known fact that memory declines with age (particularly for episodic memories). .
• 1.2 - Belleville et al. (2016) found that those who received a programme aimed to improve their episodic memory performed better on a test of this after the programme had been completed than those who had not (the control group). This supports the value of this theory and its positive contributions to society as a result