Tulving LTM (1972)

• why was it made?

  argued LTM presented in MSM was too simplistic, there are at least 2 types of LTM (semantic, facts and episodic, personal).
• episodic?

  ability to recall events in our lives 'mental diary'. Info is always linked to a time and a context.

  • time: dependent! For example having to remember when your 3rd birthday was.
  • retrieval: depends on context where event was initially learned as it is open to distortion (mentally re-experience moment to retrieve info so memory trace can change it)
  • independence: cannot operate without semantic memory, would need to draw on previous knowledge of objects.
• semantic?

  • stores knowledge about world 'mental encyclopedia'
  • time: detached. eg we know that Paris is capital of France but cannot remember where we had learnt that.
  • retrieval: not dependent on context, so won't interfere with knowledge and less likely to be changed.
  • independence: can operate independently.
• evidence?

  • case studies of brain damaged Ps (KF and HM: episodic memory damaged but semantic intact)
  • brain scans, different parts of brain involved in episodic and semantic memory (semantic uses left hemi eg)
  • LTM may include more than semantic and episodic. HM and Clive Wearing had brain damage that affected ability to retain/recall episodic memories but can remember how to play piano
• methodology?

  • brain scanning techniques increases credibility.
  • methods using both memory may lack validity as they cannot be studied in complete isolation of each other.
  • using case studies lack control of variables, very little knowledge about memory before damage so comparisons cannot be meaningful (validity !)
• applications?

  • knowing relationship between both memory stores can aid memory recall (exam revision)
  • Belleville (2006) worked with older people why had memory impairments and undertook training programme to improve episodic memory. Compared to control, Ps performed better on episodic test after training so we can help people with specific memory problems to lead more normal lives in old age
• alternate theory of Tulving?

  Bartletts reconstructive memory/