Evaluation of types of long term memory

Why are case studies useful in researching types of LTM?

Case studies like Clive Wearing provide detailed insights into memory that cannot be studied in controlled experiments, showing clear differences between episodic, semantic, and procedural memory.

What is a limitation of case studies in LTM research?

They lack control, so cause and effect between brain areas and memory functions cannot be established.

Why might case study findings lack generalisability?

Participants may be different from the normal population even before brain damage (e.g., Clive Wearing and PM were musicians, CL was a child), so results may not apply to everyone.

How does brain scanning support types of LTM?

Brain scanning (e.g., fMRI) allows researchers to scientifically identify which brain areas are active during different memory tasks, supporting the idea of separate memory systems.

Why might episodic and semantic memory not be fully separate?

Both are forms of declarative memory, so there may not be a clear distinction between them.