L8- Long term memory
Definition
Long term storage for all information that we know:
- Who + what we are (identity + personality)
- Our personal history (autobiographical)
- Knowledge about the world (semantics)
- Skills + procedures (procedures)
LTM is vital to behaviour, our sense of self, identity + well-being
Aspects of LTM
‘Unlimited’ capacity
Unlimited duration
Diversity of content
Diversity of processes
LTM processes
Consolidation= repeated exposure/ learning leads to permanent memory traces
Storage= every type of conscious experience can be committed to LTM
Modes of retrieval= explicit/implicit
Updating= LTM
A functional classification of LTM
, Episodic memory
Reflects situations/ events + autobiographical information
Self-referential
- Information is encoded in relation to the observer
Context-dependent
- Information is inter-related + embedded
- Multiple events can be recalled as part of one memory- as in a narrative
- Context of encoding determines retrieval
Context-dependency
Re-instating/re-experiencing the context of a particular event can improve recall
E.g.- Godden + Baddeley (1975) carried out a study where they asked pps to learn a list
of words either underwater or on land
- They were then asked to recall the words either underwater or on land which
created four conditions (learn on land- recall on land, learn on land- recall
underwater, learn underwater- recall on land + learn underwater- recall underwater)
- They found that the environmental contexts of learning + recall matched in 2 of the
4 conditions
= similarity of environment between study + test improves recall
Contextual effects on memory depend on the congruence between study + recall on:
- External state= physical location + events
- Internal state= mood + physiological state
- E.g. physical exercise
Context-dependent memory
Context can improve recall of both episodic + semantic knowledge
Embedded new information in the existing network of information
Autobiographical context can improve deficits in recall
- Dementia= autobiographical memories survive if they contain autobiographically
relevant names
- This is NOT the case with amnesia
Implicit memory
Implicit memory= how can we use LTM information without awareness
Types of implicit memory:
- Procedural
- Priming
- Implicit learning e.g. classical conditioning
Explicit implicit memory= when conscious recollection fails- implicit memory may not
Definition
Long term storage for all information that we know:
- Who + what we are (identity + personality)
- Our personal history (autobiographical)
- Knowledge about the world (semantics)
- Skills + procedures (procedures)
LTM is vital to behaviour, our sense of self, identity + well-being
Aspects of LTM
‘Unlimited’ capacity
Unlimited duration
Diversity of content
Diversity of processes
LTM processes
Consolidation= repeated exposure/ learning leads to permanent memory traces
Storage= every type of conscious experience can be committed to LTM
Modes of retrieval= explicit/implicit
Updating= LTM
A functional classification of LTM
, Episodic memory
Reflects situations/ events + autobiographical information
Self-referential
- Information is encoded in relation to the observer
Context-dependent
- Information is inter-related + embedded
- Multiple events can be recalled as part of one memory- as in a narrative
- Context of encoding determines retrieval
Context-dependency
Re-instating/re-experiencing the context of a particular event can improve recall
E.g.- Godden + Baddeley (1975) carried out a study where they asked pps to learn a list
of words either underwater or on land
- They were then asked to recall the words either underwater or on land which
created four conditions (learn on land- recall on land, learn on land- recall
underwater, learn underwater- recall on land + learn underwater- recall underwater)
- They found that the environmental contexts of learning + recall matched in 2 of the
4 conditions
= similarity of environment between study + test improves recall
Contextual effects on memory depend on the congruence between study + recall on:
- External state= physical location + events
- Internal state= mood + physiological state
- E.g. physical exercise
Context-dependent memory
Context can improve recall of both episodic + semantic knowledge
Embedded new information in the existing network of information
Autobiographical context can improve deficits in recall
- Dementia= autobiographical memories survive if they contain autobiographically
relevant names
- This is NOT the case with amnesia
Implicit memory
Implicit memory= how can we use LTM information without awareness
Types of implicit memory:
- Procedural
- Priming
- Implicit learning e.g. classical conditioning
Explicit implicit memory= when conscious recollection fails- implicit memory may not
