Tulving’s LTM Model

What is Tulving’s Long Term Memory Model?

Tulving made the Long Term Memory model in response to the Multi-Store Model of memory to highlight the complexity of the long term memory. He stated that the long term memory can be divided into episodic and semantic memory.

The nature of the memory

(diary vs encyclopaedia)

Episodic: A mental diary storing memories in an autobiographical way linked to time and context. E.g. if you went to Spain in the summer, you will know it is hot as you will remember the sun shining and drinking lots of water

Semantic: A mental encyclopaedia storing words, facts and rules as an organised body of knowledge. E.g. If you have never been to Spain but know that it is hot, you are using semantic storage

Time Referencing

(temporal links)

Episodic: Memories of events that have happened to you that are linked to the time they occurred. E.g. remembering your first day of school is linked to the date it occurred

Semantic: Memories that are detached from any temporal link and can be recalled with no reference to when it was learned. E.g. you can recall that an adjective describes a noun without remembering when you learnt this.

Spatial Referencing

(inputs)

Episodic: Input is continuous as we experience a whole episode in a temporal frame of reference. E.g. a memory of a birthday party is an experience over a time frame

Semantic: Input is fragmented and we can piece together information learnt at different times. E.g. learning about Henry viii wives at different times but piecing them together to learn more about thi time period

Retrieval

Episodic: Recall is dependent on the context in which the event was learned or experienced. Context aids the retrieval of memories. e.g. if you learn information in one setting, you will find it easier to recall when in that same setting

Semantic: recall is not dependent on the context of learning. It’s based on inferring, generalising and logical thought

Strength of Tulving’s LTM model

(AO3)

I: There is evidence from brain damaged patients that supports Tulving’s idea that there are two stores in the LTM

J: KF suffered brain damage after a motorbike accident and leaving him unable to form new or recall memories from his personal life (episodic) but he was still able to recall factual information (semantic)

E: This case study validates the idea of different stores in the long term memory as if the LTM was one store, we would expect all of his long term memories to either be impaired or unaffected

Weakness of Tulving’s LTM model

I: There are case studies that suggest the division of the LTM into episodic and semantic memory may be too simplistic.

J: Clive Wearing and HM both suffered damage to their memory but were still able to complete skills stored in their LTM. Clive wearing could play the piano and HM could still sign his name.

E: These skills are not episodic nor semantic suggesting the LTM may be more complex than Tulving’s originally stated.

Weakness counter

(Bonus AO3)

However Tulving later amended the LTM model adding divisions for explicit/declarative memory and implicit/procedural memory which explained the retention of skills such as those observed in HM’s and Clive Wearing’s cases