Types of LTM

• There are 3 types of LTM as proposed by Tulving.
• The 3 types of LTM are procedural, semantic and episodic.
• Procedural memory refers to our ability to do things like skills e.g tying a shoelace.

  Procedural memory is non declarative as you know how to do something but can't explain it.
• Episodic memory is memories of events and experiences.

  The memories are time stamped.

  It is declarative because you can consciously recall the memories.
• Semantic memory refers to knowledge about universal facts, concepts, and ideas.

  It is less vulnerable to distortion.
• Tulving (2005) found that patients with damage to their hippocampus had impaired episodic memory but intact semantic memory. This supports the idea that there are different systems for encoding information into these two forms of long term memory.
• AO3

  :( - Lacks continuity

  Buckner and Peterson reviewed evidence regarding the location of semantic and episodic memory.

  They concluded semantic memory is in the left side of the pre-frontal cortex and episodic memory is in the right side of the pre-frontal cortex.

  Other research links encoding of episodic to the left and retrieval of the episodic to the right(Tulving et al).

  This challenges any neurophysical evidence for the location of the stores as there's no agreement established.
• AO3

  :) - Practical applications

  Understanding the LTM stores can help us understand those with memory problems.

  Research shows memory loss is specific to episodic making it harder to recall personal events and experiences.

  Belleville et al devised an intervention to help improve episodic memory in patients with memory loss and found that the trained patients performed better on a episodic memory test than a control group.

  This shows that distinguishing the different types of LTM can help create specific treatments which can improve the lives of individuals.
• AO3

  :) - Clive Wearing and HM

  HM had a severely impaired episodic store as he could not recall stroking a dog but his semantic memories were unaffected as he knew what a dog was.

  Clive Wearing was able to read and play the piano showing his procedural memory was intact but couldn't remember the last time he'd seen his wife which shows impairments in his episodic memories.

  This supports Tulving's view of separate LTM stores as one can be damaged and the other can work unaffected.