Describe and evaluate different types of long term memory (16)
Long term memory is a permanent memory store which has unlimited capacity and duration
and information is coded semantically. Tulving argued against the Multi Store Model and out
forth 3 types of long term memory stores that hold different types of information.
Episodic memory refers to our ability to recall events from our lives eg. your most recent visit
to your dentist. They are ‘timestamped’ memories - you remember the ‘time’ this specific
event happened. Each episode often contains several elements of what occurred during the
event – people, places, objects, behaviours and associated emotions – all linked to form one
single ‘episode’. You also need to make a conscious effort to recall episodic memories - you
are aware you are searching for this certain memory. Semantic memory contains our
knowledge of the world inc. facts and knowledge of what words mean. Semantic memories
are not ‘time-stamped’ ie. we don’t remember where we first learnt them and we need to
make a conscious effort to recall them. Semantic knowledge is less personal and not based
on experiences and is more about the facts we all share about the world. Procedural
memory contains our knowledge of how to do things inc. memories of learned skills.
Procedural LTM does not involve conscious thought or effort to recall these things (which is
why we find it hard to explain to others) and allows people to simultaneously perform other
cognitive tasks at the same time eg. being able to drive and change gear without actively
recalling the procedure whilst talking to a friend at the same time.
One strength is its practical applications in improving people’s lives. Belleville conducted a
study on older adults with mild cognitive impairments and found that those who received
memory training performed better on a test of episodic memory compared to a control group.
This highlights the importance of distinguishing between different types of LTM, as it allows
psychologists to develop targeted treatments to enhance cognitive functioning in certain
areas. By applying these findings to real-world settings, like memory training programs for
people with memory deficits, research on LTM has valuable implications for improving
quality of life.
A weakness of the research that supports the different types of LTM is that it has low
population validity. This is because a large body of supporting evidence is based on case
studies of patients with brain damage. This is a criticism because the sample used in this
research, (Clive Wearing), may not be representative of the wider population. For example,
just because Wearing's memory was selectively damaged doesn’t mean that other people
who suffer brain damage in the same areas of the brain would present with the same
memory problems. Before his illness, Clive Wearing was a highly intelligent, articulate man
in his 40’s. Therefore, we can’t generalise the findings of this case study to the wider
population. As a result, this reduces the credibility of Tulving’s research evidence to support
the different types of LTM.
A further strength is that its supported by strong empirical evidence from neuroimaging
studies. For example, in a study by Tulving, participants performed various memory tasks
while their brain activity was scanned using a PET scanner. They found that the episodic
and semantic memory tasks both activated an area of the brain known as the prefrontal
cortex. This area is divided into two, with one on each side (hemisphere) of the brain. The
left prefrontal cortex was active in recalled semantic memories and the right was active in
Long term memory is a permanent memory store which has unlimited capacity and duration
and information is coded semantically. Tulving argued against the Multi Store Model and out
forth 3 types of long term memory stores that hold different types of information.
Episodic memory refers to our ability to recall events from our lives eg. your most recent visit
to your dentist. They are ‘timestamped’ memories - you remember the ‘time’ this specific
event happened. Each episode often contains several elements of what occurred during the
event – people, places, objects, behaviours and associated emotions – all linked to form one
single ‘episode’. You also need to make a conscious effort to recall episodic memories - you
are aware you are searching for this certain memory. Semantic memory contains our
knowledge of the world inc. facts and knowledge of what words mean. Semantic memories
are not ‘time-stamped’ ie. we don’t remember where we first learnt them and we need to
make a conscious effort to recall them. Semantic knowledge is less personal and not based
on experiences and is more about the facts we all share about the world. Procedural
memory contains our knowledge of how to do things inc. memories of learned skills.
Procedural LTM does not involve conscious thought or effort to recall these things (which is
why we find it hard to explain to others) and allows people to simultaneously perform other
cognitive tasks at the same time eg. being able to drive and change gear without actively
recalling the procedure whilst talking to a friend at the same time.
One strength is its practical applications in improving people’s lives. Belleville conducted a
study on older adults with mild cognitive impairments and found that those who received
memory training performed better on a test of episodic memory compared to a control group.
This highlights the importance of distinguishing between different types of LTM, as it allows
psychologists to develop targeted treatments to enhance cognitive functioning in certain
areas. By applying these findings to real-world settings, like memory training programs for
people with memory deficits, research on LTM has valuable implications for improving
quality of life.
A weakness of the research that supports the different types of LTM is that it has low
population validity. This is because a large body of supporting evidence is based on case
studies of patients with brain damage. This is a criticism because the sample used in this
research, (Clive Wearing), may not be representative of the wider population. For example,
just because Wearing's memory was selectively damaged doesn’t mean that other people
who suffer brain damage in the same areas of the brain would present with the same
memory problems. Before his illness, Clive Wearing was a highly intelligent, articulate man
in his 40’s. Therefore, we can’t generalise the findings of this case study to the wider
population. As a result, this reduces the credibility of Tulving’s research evidence to support
the different types of LTM.
A further strength is that its supported by strong empirical evidence from neuroimaging
studies. For example, in a study by Tulving, participants performed various memory tasks
while their brain activity was scanned using a PET scanner. They found that the episodic
and semantic memory tasks both activated an area of the brain known as the prefrontal
cortex. This area is divided into two, with one on each side (hemisphere) of the brain. The
left prefrontal cortex was active in recalled semantic memories and the right was active in
