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The semantic and episodic memory distinction

Memory:The ability to store and retrieve information.typesLong-term memoryShort-term memorySensory memoryWorking memory

Episodic memory (mental time travel)This refers to storage and retrieval of specific events or episodes occurring at a particular time at a particular place.Tulving (and Suddendorf) claims that episodic memory is unique to humans.But there are degrees of episodic-like memory present in animals.

Episodic Memory in AnimalsDo animals have Episodic Memory?

5Kstenseeschwalbe = Artic tern,Sterna paradisaeaAccording to Tulving, animals like his cat have no episodic memory so while they may know many things, they do not remember past experiences the way we do. They just know about them. (Drawing by Ruth Tulving)

Tulving's view6Semantic memory

This refers to information about our stock of knowledge about the world2+2 = 4

MooEpisodic v SemanticWheeler et al 1997: episodic memory involves the subjective awareness or reliving of experiences but semantic memory does not.

PET scan studies (see Wheeler et al 1997) have shown that there is more activity in the right prefrontal cortex when participants are trying to retrieve episodic memories than when they are trying to retrieve other kinds of memories such as semantic memories.

8 Forgetting bahrick said Episodic memory is more forgetting as compared to semantic memoryBut sometimes both are acquired to HARDamnesiaProblem in memory to recalltypesRetrograde amnesia Anterograde amnesia

K.C.: frontal brain damage due to a motorcycle accidentProblem in episodic and semantic memory to recallCould remember how to play chess, knew father taught him and that he and his father played chessCouldnt remember ever playing with anyone else or specifics of times played

Factors Affecting Declarative MemoryStress:Study Conducted By Lupiein to check the effect of stress on declarative Memory3 phasesMemorizing series of wordsStressful and non-stressful situationRecalling of wordsResultsThere were signs of decreased declarative memory performance in the participants that had to complete the stressful situation after learning the wordsReferenceshttp://cogsci.ucd.ie/courses/CogPsyh/CogPsyhLecture_3.ppthttp://www.sjsu.edu/people/steven.macramalla/courses/c1/s1/Lecture_x_6___Memory.ppthttp://www.science.ca/scientists/scientistprofile.php?pID=20