types of long term memory

Episodic memory

A long-term memory store for personal events. It includes memories of when the events occurred and of the people, objects, places and behaviours involved. Memories from this store have to be retrieved consciously and with effort.

Semantic memory

A long-term memory store for our knowledge of the world. This includes facts and our knowledge of what words and concepts mean. These memories usually also need to be recalled deliberately.

Procedural memory

A long-term memory store for our knowledge of how to do things. This includes our memories of learned skills. We usually recall these memories without making a conscious or deliberate effort.

Types of LTM

Tulving (1985) was one of the first cognitive psychologists to realise that the multi-store model's view of LT was too simplistic and inflexible. Tulving proposed that there are in fact three LTM stores, containing quite different types of information.

He called them episodic memory, semantic memory and procedural memory.

Strength clinical evidence

The famous case studies of HM (Henry Molaison) and Clive Wearing are relevant here. Episodic memory in both men was severely impaired as a consequence of amnesia. They had great difficulty recalling events that had happened to them in their pasts. But their semantic memories were relatively unaffected. For example, they still understood the meaning of words. So HM would not be able to recall stroking a dog half an hour earlier and could not remember having owned a dog in the past, but he would not need to have the concept of 'dog' explained to him over and over again. Their procedural memories were also intact. They both knew how to tie their shoelaces, how to walk and speak, and, in Clive Wearing's case (he was a professional musician). how to read music, sing and play the piano.