Topic 2 – Cognitive Psychology Lesson six: Explanation of Long Term Memory – episodic and semantic memory Tulving, 1972)

Tulving (1972) Long term memory (LTM): Episodic and semantic memory Example of long term memories ? Tulving proposed that LTM memory was divided into two memory stores: episodic and semantic memory What are episodic /semantic memories?

Example: Learning a language Semantic memory? Episodic memory?

What is your most vivid memory and why? Time: when did that happen? Context: Where were you when that happened?

Flashbulb memory A flashbulb memory – Episodic Mood emotion – associated with the event

Differences between episodic and semantic Pg. 100 Time referencing: Memories about events that are linked to the time in which they occurred Factual information can be remembered without reference to when it was learned Which fact relates to episodic and semantic memory? Spatial referencing: Memories are fragmentary. We can piece together factual information that had been learned at different times. Memories are continuous as we experience an event in a temporal frame of reference Retrieval: Memory is dependent on the context in which the event was learned. This context aids the retrieval of the memory Memory is not dependent on the context therefore retrieval of the memories is not context dependent Extension: Provide an example for each point

Are the stores inter-dependent? Is one store dependent on the other? Episodic – operates alongside semantic. We need to draw on facts in order to understand them Is one independent? Semantic – We don’t need to remember time and context (e.g. a classroom in June) to remember how to use an equation.

Which memories are semantic or episodic? Knowing how to use scissors Recalling your first day of school Remembering what a dog is Knowing that July follows June

Evaluation

Supporting evidence Supporting evidence suggests the disassociation between semantic and episodic memory Suggests one store can be affected without affecting the other Ostergaard (1987) pg.102 Summarise and explain how it supports Tulving’s theory regarding semantic and episodic

Opposing evidence Damage to the temporal cortex of the brain seems to cause problems with both types of memory, as does dementia. This suggests declarative and non-declarative memory are located in the same place and may turn out to be the same type of memory but working in different ways. Squire & Zola (1998) put this to the test. They examined children with amnesia (who never acquired a semantic store in the first place) and adults with amnesia (who had semantic and episodic memories from before suffering brain damage). The participants' episodic and semantic memories seem to be equally impaired How does this oppose/refute Tulving’s theory?

Application – why is this explanation useful? Pg. 101 –wider issues and debates Cue dependent recall Kenealy (1997) or Godden and Baddeley (1975) How can this be useful? Clive Wearing, or people in the early stages of dementia. Though they may be confused by their amnesia, they might still remember relationships and meanings and this could be used to calm and focus them. Showing these patients meaningful things and getting them to talk about the meaning can be a type of Cognitive Stimulation Therapy – such as getting them to talk about how familiar songs or activities make them feel. Why is this useful?

Reductionism pg. 102 Case studies such as HM and Clive Wearing highlight limitations – procedural memory. Is this mentioned in this model? As the model stands it is oversimplified as procedural memory should be taken into account. Why? Also page 102 (second to last paragraph) Can you identify the problem and relate it to reductionism?

Revision for Cognitive test 1 Cognitive approach MSM A01 A02 A03 WMM