L3: Types of long-term memory

• Tulving (1985) thought MSM view of LTM was too simplistic. He proposed there are three types of long-term memory.
• The three types of LTM Tulving proposed are episodic (events), semantic (facts + world around us) and procedural memory (skills and actions).
• Episodic memory

  • memory of events (e.g., first day at school)
  • EM is time-stamped (you know exactly when they happened)

  EM has several elements (e.g., people and places) and these all form a single memory.

  • takes a conscious effort to recall (aware you're trying to recall even if it's quick)
• Semantic memory

  • contains knowledge of world (e.g., applying to uni; the meaning of words)
  • not time-stamped; unknown when we first learned abt a concept
  • less personal; more about facts.

  Semantic memory contains an immense collection of material which is constantly being added to.
• Procedural memory

  • memory of actions or skills (e.g., driving a car)
  • doesn't require a conscious effort to recall (e.g., you change gears in the car without realising)
  • skills in PM may be hard to explain to someone (e.g., if you try to explain how you're driving the car whilst driving, it may be more difficult)
• One strength of Tulving's explanation is that there is clinical evidence to support it.

  • evidence: case studies of Clive Wearing and HM; both had impaired EM b/c amnesia. SM relatively unaffected as well as PM (Wearing could play piano - musician)
  • explain: supports Tulving's explanation b/c it shows whilst one type of LTM can be damaged, the others can be unaffected.
  • link: strength - clinical evidence b/c high validity.
• Another strength of Tulving's explanation is that it has neuroimaging evidence.

  • evidence: Tulving et al. (1994) asked ppts. to perform mem. takss whilst having a PET scan - found EM and SM recalled from prefrontal cortex (SM - left; EM - right)
  • explain: strength b/c it shows physical reality to Tulving's explanation - confirmed through other studies.
  • link: strength - neuroimaging evidence b/c high validity.
• Another strength of Tulving's explanation is that it has real-life application.

  • evidence: Belleville et al. (2006) found EM could be improved in old people with mild cognitive impairments (EM most affected by these).
  • trained ppts performed better on EM test after training than control group.
  • explain: strength b/c it highlights benefits of distinguishing LTM types: can develop specific treatments.
  • link: strength - can dev. treatments b/c real-life application.
• One weakness of Tulving's explanation is that it heavily relies on evidence from case studies.

  • evidence: whilst Clive Wearing and HM have provided useful info., these cases are unique and extreme. There was also a lack of control for extraneous variables.
  • explain: weakness b/c it means we may not be able to apply this evidence to other ppl. in society.
  • link: weakness - relies on case studies b/c it means this explanation has a lack of generalisability.