Types of long term memory

• Tulving (1985) One of the key criticisms of the MSM is that it is too simple because it describes both short-term memory (working memory) and long-term memory as unitary stores. Endel Tulving (1985) – Cognitive Psychologist – realised that the MSM’s view of the LTM was too simplistic and inflexible. Tulving proposed that there are 3 LTM stores containing different types of information. 1) Episodic memory 2) Semantic memory 3) Procedural memory
• What does episodic memory refer to according to Tulving (1985)?


  Episodic memory refers to our ability to recall memories of specific ‘episodes’ or events in our life.
• What elements are included in a single episodic memory?


  A single event includes people, places, objects, and behaviours.
• How do we recall episodic memories?


  We make a conscious (declarative) effort to recall episodic memories.
• What is semantic memory according to Tulving (1985)?


  Semantic memory contains our knowledge of the world, including ideas, concepts, and facts.
• How has semantic memory been likened to other resources?


  It has been likened to a combination of an encyclopaedia and a dictionary.
• What types of knowledge does semantic memory include?


  It includes knowledge such as how to apply to university, what an orange tastes like, and what the capital is.
• How are semantic memories characterized in terms of personal relevance?


  Semantic memories are less personal and more about facts.
• Are semantic memories time-stamped?


  No, semantic memories are not time-stamped.
• What type of thought is required for semantic memory?


  Semantic memories require conscious thought (declarative).
• What does procedural memory refer to according to Tulving (1985)?


  Procedural memory refers to our memory for action, skill, and how to do something.
• How can we recall procedural memories?


  We can recall procedural memories without conscious awareness (non-declarative).
• What happens to our ability to perform skills in procedural memory?


  Our ability to perform skills becomes automatic through practice.
• Why are procedural skills difficult to explain verbally?


  Procedural skills are difficult to explain verbally because they are often automatic and non-verbal.
• One strength is evidence from the case studies of HM and Clive Wearing to support the different types of LTMs. Clive Wearing is British musician and conductor who contracted the herpes simplex virus that attacked his brain and HM suffered server brain damage. HM and Clive Wearing both had brain damage which severely affected their episodic memory, but their semantic and procedural memories were relatively intact.
• Clive Wearing could read, sing

  and play very complex pieces of

  music on a piano but couldn’t

  remember his wife (episodic).

  Likewise, HM could not recall

  stroking a dog half an hour

  earlier, but he did not need to

  have the concept of ‘dog’

  explained to him (semantic).
• This evidence supports Tulving's

  view that there are different

  memory stores in LTM – one

  store can be damaged but other

  stores are unaffected
• However, clinical studies are not perfect. For example, there is a lack of control of different variables in clinical studies, the brain injuries experienced by participants were usually unexpected, the researcher had no way of controlling what happened to the participants before or during the injury. Likewise, the researcher has no knowledge of the individual memory before the damage, without this, it is difficult to judge exactly how much worse it is afterwards
• Who performed brain scans on volunteers to study episodic and semantic memory?

  Tulving
• What part of the brain was active when participants used their episodic memory according to Tulving's study?


  The left prefrontal cortex
• Which part of the brain was active when participants used their semantic memory in Tulving's study?


  The right prefrontal cortex
• What conclusion did Buckner and Peterson reach regarding the location of semantic and episodic memory?


  Semantic memory is located in the left prefrontal cortex and episodic memory in the right
• What is the significance of the conflicting evidence regarding the locations of semantic and episodic memory?


  • Challenges neuropsychological evidence supporting types of memory
  • Indicates poor agreement on the locations of each memory type
• What is a strength of understanding types of long-term memory (LTM)?


  It helps psychologists assist people with memory problems.
• How does aging affect memory recall according to research?


  Aging makes it harder to recall memories of personal events and experiences.
• What intervention did Belleville et al (2006) devise for older people?


  They created a program to improve episodic memories.
• What were the results of Belleville et al's (2006) intervention on episodic memory?


  Trained participants performed better on a test of episodic memory than those who were not trained.
• What is the significance of distinguishing between types of long-term memory (LTM)?


  • Enables specific treatments to be developed
  • Supports the value of memory theories
  • Contributes positively to society