Explanation of LTM – episodic and semantic memory

What did Tulving Suggest?

That LTM could be divided into two memory: episodic and semantic

What is the nature of episodic memory?

Like a mental diary

More personal memories, informed about experiences/events – linked to Time and context

What is the nature of semantic memory?

Like a mental Encyclopedia

Facts – words, facts, rules, meanings

What is the time reference of episodic memory?

Episodic memory is dependent on time referencing – memories about events that happen to you are linked to the time they occur

What is the time reference of semantic memories?

Semantic memories have no temporal link – factual information without reference to when it was learned

What is the spatial referencing of episodic memory?

Episodic memories are continuous (we experience a whole episode in some temporal frame)

What is the Spatial referencing of semantic memories?

Semantic memories can be inputted in a fragmented way – we can piece factual information together to create an image

How does retrieval work with episodic memory?

It is dependent on context in which the event was initially learned – context AIDS retrieval of episode memories

How does the retrieval work of semantic memories?

It is not dependent on context

How are episodic memories Forgotten?

Forgetting is due to retrieval queue Failure – they are susceptible to transformation

How are semantic memories forgotten?

They are much less susceptible to transformation so not easily forgotten

Evaluation of episodic and semantic memories

… Next FC

Summarise the case study linked to the evaluation of episodic and semantic memories

K.C was involved in a motorcycle accident and suffered brain injury.

Studies eliminated relationship between semantic learning and episodic memory showing patients with amnesia are capable of retaining new semantic knowledge in absence of semantic memory.

Casey was able to learn new semantic knowledge and retain it over a long period of time

Showed episodic and semantic memories are independent of one another

What are the store was added in 1985? (Only need to be talked about in evaluation)

The procedural memory (e.g- Riding a bike)

What is the evidence?

🙂🙂 – hippocampus was destroyed and lost all episodic memory but semantic memory still intact – evidence for difference in episodic and semantic memory (suggested by Tulvings theory)

CA- problem with Case Studies as they are all unique so cannot generalise findings

Conclusion – a lot of research to support separate semantic and episode of memory

What are the Strengths/short coming?

😞😞 – research into separate stores is problematic (cannot be studied in absolute isolation) – theory lacks validity

🙂🙂 – it can help to explain individual differences – increases validity of the theory for long-term memory

😞😞 – can be seen as reductionist - can’t explain correlation between STM and LTM – validity is questionable – further research is needed to better understand LTM

CA- reductionism - scientific way of studying memory

What is an alternative theory?

LTM can be broken into stores suggests MSM is reductionist

Tulving Suggested the procedural memory store in LTM to explain HMM