Types of long-term memory

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Khads <3

Cards (11)

How did Tulving contribute to the understanding of long-term memory?
+ Tulving (1985) argued that the MSM was too simplistic and suggested that there were different types of LTM
+ he was one of the first cognitive psychologists to find the LTM in the MSM as too simplistic and inflexible
+ first proposed LTM divided into three memory stores: episodic, semantic and procedural memory and each store is qualitatively different in nature of stored memories, time referencing, associations between memories and nature of retrieving/ recalling information
What is episodic memory? 
+ ability to recall events (episodes) from lives
+ likened to a mental diary
+ memories are time stamped - remember when they happened
+ memory of single episode includes several elements - people, places and behaviours interwoven in one memory
+ make conscious effort to recall those memories
What is autobiographical episodic memory?
memory for specific life events that have personal meaning
What is flashbulb memory?
+ detailed and vivid memory of an event stored after one occasion and lasts a lifetime
+ often they are life-changing events like births, deaths of associated with vital historic events
+ emotional arousal when initial coding of memory make memory more vivid
What is semantic memory?
+ contains our knowledge of the world - including facts and linked a a combination of the dictionary and encyclopedia
+ includes knowledge of things like applying to uni, taste of an orange and the meaning of words
+ memories are not time stamped and are less personal
+ contains and immense collection of material and constantly added
+ hierarchically organized and information systematically linked to related information
What are the differences between semantic and episodic memory?
+ differ in storage of information and nature of storage
+ episodic is autobiographical (related to individual) while semantic is cognitive (meanings we give things)
+ episodic memory receives and stores information about dates, times, events and things relating to the individual
+ semantic memory related to language as words have meaning
+ semantic have cognitive/ thinking element and related to concepts and unrelated to individual
Are semantic and episodic memory interrelated?
+ semantic memory can operate independently of episodic
+ episodic memory unlikely to operate without semantic memory - need to draw on previous knowledge of objects, places and events occurring in order to understand
+ Tulving argues that the stores may overlap but are independent
What is procedural memory?
+ memory for actions, or skills or how we do things
+ can recall these memories without conscious awareness or effect
What did Squire and Cohen argue regarding the types of LTM and when?
+ Cohen and Squire (1980) argue that there are two types and not three types of LTM
+ declarative - semantic and episodic that are consciously recalled
+ non-declarative memory - procedural memory that is unconsciously recalled
+ reduces the credibility of Tulvings theory
How does neuroimaging provide evidence for the types of LTM?
+ brain scans
+ Tulving asked participants to complete tasks while scanning brains (PET scan)
+ found that semantic memory tasks made left hand side of the brain prefrontal cortex active
+ episodic memory tasks made right hand side of prefrontal cortex active
+ increases validity of Tulvings theory
+ enhances scientific rigour of Tulving's theory though use of controlled reactions
What is a real-life application of the types of long-term memory?
+ Belleville et al (2006) demonstrated that episodic memories could be improved in older people who had mild cognitive impairment
+ trained participants performed better on a test of episodic memory after training than a control group
+ highlights the benefit of being able to distinguish between types of LTM
+ enables specific treatments to be developed