Types of long term memory

• What are the three stores of long-term memory?

  Episodic, semantic, and procedural
• What is episodic memory?

  • Recalls personal events or "episodes"
  • Time-stamped and linked to specific locations
  • Involves emotions and wider context
• What type of memories does episodic memory recall?

  Events or "episodes" in a person's life
• How are episodic memories characterized?

  They are time-stamped and location-specific
• What emotions might be remembered in episodic memories?

  Emotions felt at the time of the event
• What is semantic memory?

  • Recalls memories of facts and meanings
  • Not time-stamped
  • Often not personal
• What type of memories does semantic memory recall?

  Facts and meanings of the world
• How are semantic memories characterized?

  They are not time-stamped and often impersonal
• What is procedural memory?

  • Stores how to carry out tasks or skills
  • Requires little conscious thought
  • Formed from practice and rehearsal
• What type of memories does procedural memory store?

  How to carry out certain tasks or skills
• How is procedural memory characterized?

  Little conscious thought is required to recall
• What are the strengths of the different memory stores for LTM?

  • Supporting studies provide evidence
  • Case studies of HM and Clive Wearing
  • Brain scans show different storage areas
• What happened to HM that affected his memory?

  He underwent brain surgery removing his hippocampus
• What did the findings from HM's case study show?

  Episodic memory was affected, others were not
• What condition did Clive Wearing have?

  He contracted a virus affecting his brain
• What could Clive Wearing still do despite his condition?

  Retain procedural memory, like playing piano
• What are the limitations of the memory store studies?

  • Case studies cannot be generalized
  • Cross-overs between episodic and semantic memories
  • Suggests LTM is more complex than three stores
• Why is the generalization of case studies a limitation?

  They cannot represent the wider population
• What does the crossover between episodic and semantic memories suggest?

  LTM is more complex than three separate stores