Long term memory

what are the 3 types of long term memory

episodic semantic procedural

episodic

memory of experiences and specific events eg the last time you rode a bike

what is a semantic memory

facts meanings concepts and knowledge about the world eg bike has 2 wheels or capital of France is Paris

procedural

unconsious memory of skill also known as muscle memory

what is a declarative or explicit memory

memories which we have to consciously recall and can be put into words

episodic memories

1. are they declarative

2. are they time stamped

3. are they autobiographical

4. location

5. what influences the strength

1. yes

2. yes

3. yes

4. right hemisphere of the prefrontal cortex

5. level of emotion at the time

semantic memories

1. are they declarative

2. are they time stamped

3. are they autobiographical

4. location

5. what influences the strength

1. yes

2. no

3. no

4. left hemisphere of the prefrontal cortex

5. how deeply processed

procedural memories

1. are they declarative

2. are they time stamped

3. are they autobiographical

4. location

5. what influences the strength

1. no

2. no as learnt young

3. no

4. located within the cerebellum

5. number of times practiced

order the memories form easiest to hardest to forget

episodic semantic procedural

case study evidence in support

Case studies e.g. HM and Clive Wearing prove that there must be different types of LTM. These patients suffered from amnesia but whilst episodic memories were severely affected, procedural and semantic memories weren’t (e.g. Clive Wearing could play the piano but couldn’t remember his children’s names). HM was unable to form new episodic memories or semantic memories due to the damage but he was able to form new procedural ones demonstrating that different region of the brain must be responsible for this memory. This proves that there must be different types of memory and that they must be stored in separate parts of the brain. Both case studies have added to our knowledge of the role of the hippocampus in memory and in both cases, the studies were longitudinal allowing constant monitoring of memory changes and how memory is connected to mood.

scan evidence in support

PET scan evidence supports the view that long-term memory is made up of distinct systems, as different brain regions are involved in different types of LTM. For example, Tulving et al. found that episodic memory retrieval was associated with activation in the right prefrontal cortex, whereas semantic memory retrieval activated the left prefrontal cortex, demonstrating a clear neural dissociation. This suggests that episodic and semantic memories are stored and processed in different brain areas, supporting the multi-store view of LTM. Furthermore, these findings have been replicated by other neuroimaging studies, increasing the reliability and validity of Tulving’s conclusions. The use of objective, scientific methods such as PET scans also strengthens the credibility of the evidence, as brain activity can be directly observed rather than inferred from behaviour alone.

maybe 2 stores not 3

Cohen and Squire argued that long-term memory is divided into two main systems: declarative and non-declarative memory, rather than three separate stores. Declarative memory includes memories that can be consciously recalled and verbally described, such as episodic and semantic memory, while non-declarative memory involves unconscious memories, including procedural skills. Evidence for this comes from HM, who suffered damage to the hippocampus and showed severe impairment in both episodic and semantic memory, supporting the idea that these form a single declarative system. In contrast, HM’s procedural memory remained intact, as he could learn new motor skills, demonstrating a clear distinction between declarative and non-declarative memory. This supports Cohen and Squire’s model, although it may still oversimplify LTM by not fully explaining differences between episodic and semantic memory found in neuroimaging studies.