By Dr. Saul McLeod, updated 2020 Show Long-term memory (LTM) the final stage of the multi-store memory model proposed by the Atkinson-Shiffrin, providing the lasting retention of information and skills. Theoretically, the capacity of long-term memory could be unlimited, the main constraint on recall being accessibility rather than availability. Duration might be a few minutes or a lifetime. Suggested encoding modes are semantic (meaning) and visual (pictorial) in the main but can be acoustic also. Using the computer analogy, the information in your LTM would be like the information you have saved on the hard drive. It isn’t there on your desktop (your short-term memory), but you can pull up this information when you want it, at least most of the time. Types of Long Term MemoryLong-term memory is not a single store and is divided into two types: explicit (knowing that) and implicit (knowing how).  One of the earliest and most influential distinctions of long-term memory was proposed by Tulving (1972). He proposed a distinction between episodic, semantic and procedural memory. Procedural MemoryProcedural memory is a part of the implicit long-term memory responsible for knowing how to do things, i.e. memory of motor skills. It does not involve conscious (i.e. it’s unconscious - automatic) thought and is not declarative. For example, procedural memory would involve knowledge of how to ride a bicycle. Semantic MemorySemantic memory is a part of the explicit long-term memory responsible for storing information about the world. This includes knowledge about the meaning of words, as well as general knowledge. For example, London is the capital of England. It involves conscious thought and is declarative. The knowledge that we hold in semantic memory focuses on “knowing that” something is the case (i.e. declarative). For example, we might have a semantic memory for knowing that Paris is the capital of France. Episodic MemoryEpisodic memory is a part of the explicit long-term memory responsible for storing information about events (i.e. episodes) that we have experienced in our lives. It involves conscious thought and is declarative. An example would be a memory of our 1st day at school. The knowledge that we hold in episodic memory focuses on “knowing that” something is the case (i.e. declarative). For example, we might have an episodic memory for knowing that we caught the bus to college today. Cohen and Squire (1980) drew a distinction between declarative knowledge and procedural knowledge.
Evidence for the distinction between declarative and procedural memory has come from research on patients with amnesia. Typically, amnesic patients have great difficulty in retaining episodic and semantic information following the onset of amnesia. Their memory for events and knowledge acquired before the onset of the condition tends to remain intact, but they can’t store new episodic or semantic memories. In other words, it
appears that their ability to retain declarative information is impaired. However, their procedural memory appears to be largely unaffected. They can recall skills they have already learned (e.g. riding a bike) and acquire new skills (e.g. learning to drive). Very Long-Term Memory ExperimentBahrick, Bahrick, and Wittinger (1975) investigated what they called very long term memory (VLTM). Nearly 400 participants aged 17 – 74 were tested. Participants were asked to list the names they could remember of those in their graduating class in a free recall test. There were various conditions including: a free recall test, where participants tried to remember names of people in a graduate class; a photo recognition test, consisting of 50 pictures; a name recognition test for ex-school friends. Results of the study showed that participants who were tested within 15 years of graduation were about 90% accurate in identifying names and faces. After 48 years they were accurate 80% for verbal and 70% visual. Participants were better at photo recognition than free recall. Free recall was worse. After 15 years it was 60% and after 48 years it was 30% accurate. They concluded that long-term memory has a potentially unlimited duration. Uses meaningful stimuli – Bahrick et al tested people’s memories from their own lives by using high school yearbooks – Has higher external validity when compared to studies using meaningless pictures (where recall rates tend to be lower) – But does not control for confounding variables (they may have rehearsed their memory of the photos over years) so any real-world application should be applied with caution. APA Style ReferencesBahrick, H. P., Bahrick, P. O., & Wittinger, R. P. (1975). Fifty years of memory for names and faces: a cross-sectional approach. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 104, 54-75. Cohen, N. J., & Squire, L. R. (1980). Preserved learning and retention of pattern analyzing skill in amnesia: Dissociation of knowing how and knowing that. Science, 210, 207–209. Tulving, E. (1972). Episodic and semantic memory. In E. Tulving & W. Donaldson (Eds.), Organization of Memory, (pp. 381–403). New York: Academic Press. How to reference this article:How to reference this article:McLeod, S. A. (2010, December 14). Long-term memory. Simply Psychology. www.simplypsychology.org/long-term-memory.html Home | About Us | Privacy Policy | Advertise | Contact Us Simply Psychology's content is for informational and educational purposes only. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. © Simply Scholar Ltd - All rights reserved
What kind of memories are conscious long term memories?Long-term memory is usually divided into two types—explicit and implicit. Explicit memories, also known as declarative memories, include all of the memories that are available in consciousness.
What are the 3 types of longTypes of Long Term Memory. Procedural Memory. Procedural memory is a part of the implicit long-term memory responsible for knowing how to do things, i.e. memory of motor skills. ... . Semantic Memory. Semantic memory is a part of the explicit long-term memory responsible for storing information about the world. ... . Episodic Memory.. What are the two types of conscious long term memories?There are two types of long-term memory: declarative or explicit memory and non-declarative or implicit memory.
What is longLong-term memory is commonly labelled as explicit memory (declarative), as well as episodic memory, semantic memory, autobiographical memory, and implicit memory (procedural memory).
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