AO3-Types of Long Term Memory

• Strength:

  Evidence for Different Types of LTM:

  Study: Tulving (1972)

  • Tulving proposed three types of LTM: episodic, semantic, and procedural.
  • Findings:
  • Brain scans showed that episodic, semantic, and procedural memories activate different brain areas.
  • Why it matters:
  • Supports the idea that LTM is not a single store but consists of distinct systems, each with different functions.
• Strength:

  Case Study Evidence:

  Study: Clive Wearing (1985)

  • Clive had severe amnesia but could still play the piano, showing intact procedural memory.
  • Findings:
  • Clive’s inability to form new episodic memories but retention of semantic and procedural memories suggests that these types of memory are separate and function independently.
  • Why it matters:
  • Provides evidence for the independence of LTM types, particularly procedural memory.
• Weakness:

  Over-Simplification of LTM Types:

  Study: Cohen & Squire (1980)

  • Argued that episodic and semantic memories should be considered part of a single declarative system.
  • Findings:
  • They suggested that the distinction between episodic and semantic memories is too simplistic.
  • Why it matters:
  • Challenges the separation between these memory types, proposing that they are more interconnected.
• Weakness:

  Difficulty in Operationalizing Procedural Memory:

  Study: Eysenck & Keane (2010)

  • Procedural memory is implicit and often involves automatic tasks, such as riding a bike.
  • Findings:
  • Procedural memory is difficult to observe or measure, making it hard to study directly.
  • Why it matters:
  • Questions the clarity and measurability of procedural memory as a distinct type of LTM.