Types of Long Term Memory

Tulving (1985)

What are the three types of long term memory

• semantic memory

• episodic memory

• procedural memory

semantic memory

• memory for facts, meanings and knowledge

• declarative and recalled consciously

• episodic becomes semantic over time

• not time stamped

episodic memory

• experiences and events

• time- stamped

• declarative and recalled consciously

• can be associated with emotions

Procedural memory

• unconscious memories of skills

• non declarative/ not recalled consciously

• requires lots of practice and repetition

• not time stamped

EVALUATION (POSITIVES)

• Clive wearing:

  • had retrograde amnesia - cant remember wedding or music education (episodic) but can remember other facts about his life (semantic) and can play piano (procedural)

  • suggests all there types are separate and in different areas of the brain

• Tulving - neuroimaging Evidence

  • perform tasks while brain were scanned and shows types of memory in different areas and physical proof that can be backed up

  • SEMANTIC - prefrontal cortex (left)

  • EPISODIC - prefrontal cortex (right)

  • PROCEDURAL - cerebellum and basal ganglia

• Can be used in real life to help people such as Clive wearing

EVALUATION (NEGATIVES)

• Generalising - people can generalise the clinical case studies to wider population but it can be unique for each individual

Meaning of explicit/Implicit memory

• explicit - consciously recalled

• implicit - cannot be consciously recalled

Meaning of declarative and non declarative memory

• declarative - can be put in word

• non declarative - difficult to put in words