Types of LTM

• Semantic memory


  Our knowledge about the world, facts and concepts
• Episodic memory


  Our memories for particular events in our lives
• Procedural memory


  An unconscious memory of skills, known as muscle memory
• Declarative memories


  Episodic and semantic memories
• Non-declarative memories


  Procedural memories
• Episodic memories


  • Stored with a reference to time and place
  • Can be recalled consciously
  • Autobiographical
  • Easy to forget
• Semantic memories


  • Not stored with a reference to time and place
  • Can be recalled consciously
  • Not autobiographical
  • More resistant to forgetting
  • Strength affected by depth of processing
• Procedural memories


  • Not stored with a reference to time and place
  • Recalled unconsciously
  • Not autobiographical
  • Very resistant to forgetting
  • Strength affected by amount of practice
• Damage to the hippocampus can cause episodic amnesia but leave semantic abilities largely unaffected
• Clive Wearing had retrograde amnesia for episodic memories but could still recall semantic facts and perform procedural skills
• Amnesiac patients can improve on procedural skills through training, but won't retain episodic or semantic memories of doing the skill
• There are reasons to argue the types of long-term memory may not be as clearly separated, such as the connection between procedural and semantic memory, and episodic memories becoming semantic over time