Types of LTM

Who researched types of LTM & what did he realize?

• Tulving (1985)

• MSM’s view of LTM was too simplistic, evidence from amnesia patients suggest there are different types of memory

What are the types of LTM

1. Semantic

2. Episodic

3. Procedural

Semantic

• Shared memories for facts & knowledge

  • e.g. knowing ice is made of water -concrete or math knowledge -abstract

• May relate to things, such as functions of objects, & what behavior is appropriate

• Generally begin as episodic memories as we acquire knowledge based on person experiences

  • Gradual transition from episodic to semantic where memory loses its association to certain events, therefore info can be generalized as semantic.

Episodic

• Personal memories of events e.g. what you did yesterday

  • Includes contextual details & emotional tone

• Concerned w. personal experiences - recollection of 1st day at school, family holiday (may recall time, place, & who was there)

• Have 3 elements

  • Specific details of event

  • Context

  • Emotion (May recall associated emotions felt at the time)

Procedural

• Memory for how to do things e.g. riding a bike

  • Such memories automatic as a result of repeated practice

• Acquired thru repetition & practice

• Concerned w. skills

• Remembering how to do something rather than knowing the rules of what to do

  • Knowing how to behave to others = semantic , behaving nicely towards others = procedural

What are procedural memories

Non declarative / Implicit

• Doesn’t require conscious effort to recall

• Less aware of these memories as have become automatic

• If you try to think too much about such procedural memories, prevents you from acting them out

  • Attention to step-by-step procedure disrupts well-leaned, automatic performance

Why is it important procedural memories are automatic

Allows attention to be focused on other tasks while performing everyday skills

What are semantic & episodic memories?

Declarative, Explicit

Both require conscious effort to recall

Limitation 1 of research into types of LTM - Issues w. using clinical evidence

Point: A criticism is that there are issues w. using clinical evidence from people such as HM & Clive Wearing.

Evidence: In case studies, such as those used to inform us about what happens when memory is damages, there are many issues w. the way research is conducted. For example, there is often a lack of control in case studies for a no. of diff variables such as what happened to the patient, or what their memory was like before the brain damage occurred.

Explain: This means that it is hard to know what caused the amnesia - the brain injury or other variables that cannot be controlled

Link: Therefore the conclusions that researchers have reached about memory, based on clinical evidence, may not be valid

Strength 1 of research into types of LTM - Support from neuroimaging

Point: Supporting evidence comes from neuroimaging evidence that suggests diff types of memories are stored in diff areas of brain

Evidence: Tulving et al (1994) got participants to perform various memory tasks whilst in a PET scanner. They found semantic & episodic memories were recalled from the prefrontal cortex; left prefrontal cortex was more active when recalling semantic memories & right prefrontal cortex was more active when recalling episodic memories

Explain / Link: This is a strength as it supports the idea that diff types of LTM are stored physically in diff areas of the brain. This has been replicated in many later studies, increasing the validity of the research.

Strength 2 of of research into types of LTM - improving people’s lives

Point: A strength of identifying different types of LTM is that it allows psychologists to better people’s lives

Evidence: Belleville et al (2006) found that episodic memory in patients w. mild cognitive impairments could be improved w. training, those who had received the therapy did better on tests of episodic memory, compared to a control group

Explain / Link: Episodic memory is the type of memory most affected by mild cognitive impairment, by understanding the diff types of LTM, it allows specific & more targeted treatments to be developed

Strength 3 of research into types of LTM - Case studies

Point: Supporting evidence for diff types of LTM comes from clinical evidence from case studies of brain damaged patients such as HM & Clive Wearing

Evidence: Both had impaired LTMs. They were unable to recall past events in their lives but their semantic memory was relatively intact. For example, they still understood the meaning of words. Also their procedural memories were intact. For example, Clive could still play the piano.

Explain / Link: This supports the idea that there are diff stores within LTM as if 1 store is damaged, the others remain unaffected. This also supports the idea that diff types of LTM are stored in diff areas of the brain.