Long term memory

Long term memory

1. Duration

   • Can last for 100+ years
   • Shepard (1967)
     • Showed participants lots of images
       • then a week later shows them the images along with others
         • Almost 100% accuracy after weeks and months
   • Bahrick et al
     • Studied 392 participants from Ohio who were aged between 17-74.
       • Obtained high school yearbooks & recall was tested in various ways e.g. photo recognition & free recall.
         • Photo recognition = 15 years - 90% accuracy. 48 years - 70% accuracy. Free recall = 15 years - 60% accuracy. 48 years = 30% accuracy

2. Any memory that is not short term memory

3. Potentially unlimited capacity

4. Coded semantically

   • Info is represented by meaning,

5. TYPES OF LTM

   • EPISODIC
     • Our ability to recall events (episodes)
     • Complex & time stamped.
     • Several events
     • You make a conscious effort to recall them
   • Semantic
     • Contains our knowledge of the world e.g. facts
     • Like an encyclopaedia or a dictionary
     • Not time stamped
   • Procedural
     • Our memory for skills, actions & how we do things
     • Without conscious awareness e.g. driving a car
     • Makes it harder to tell people what you're doing
   • Research support = clive waring = lost his memory but could still play piano