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examBoard: AQA
examType: GCSE
lessonTitle: Types of Memory - Episodic, Semantic and Procedural
Memory isn't just one thing - it's a complex system with different parts that store different kinds of information. Imagine your brain as a massive library with separate sections for different types of books. In this session, we'll explore the three main types of memory: episodic, semantic and procedural memory.
Key Definitions:
These three memory types were first proposed by psychologist Endel Tulving in 1972. He suggested that our memories aren't all stored in the same way, but are organised based on the type of information. Each memory system works differently and can be affected by different factors.
Understanding how our different memory systems work helps us learn more effectively, explains why we remember some things easily but forget others and has important applications in education, treating memory disorders and even developing artificial intelligence.
Episodic memory is like your personal diary - it stores memories of events you've experienced, complete with details about what happened, where it happened and how you felt. These are your autobiographical memories.
Episodic memories have several important characteristics that make them unique:
Episodic memories are tied to specific moments in time - your 10th birthday party, your first day at school, or what you had for breakfast this morning.
These memories include details about where events happened and the circumstances surrounding them - the sights, sounds and even smells.
Episodic memories often have emotional components - how you felt during the experience, which can make them particularly vivid and long-lasting.
When you recall an episodic memory, it's like mentally travelling back in time to re-experience the event. This is sometimes called "mental time travel" and is unique to humans and possibly some other animals.
One of the most famous cases in memory research is that of Henry Molaison (known as H.M.). After brain surgery to treat his epilepsy, H.M. lost the ability to form new episodic memories (anterograde amnesia). He could remember events from before his surgery but couldn't remember new experiences for more than a few minutes. Interestingly, he could still learn new skills (procedural memory), showing that different memory systems operate independently.
Semantic memory is your internal encyclopedia - it stores general knowledge, facts, concepts and meanings that aren't tied to specific experiences. This includes vocabulary, understanding of how the world works and factual information.
Semantic memory differs from episodic memory in several important ways:
Semantic memories include facts like "Paris is the capital of France" or "water boils at 100°C" - information that isn't tied to when or how you learned it.
Your understanding of words, their meanings and grammar rules are all part of semantic memory. It's what allows you to understand and produce language.
Semantic memories are stored in networks of related concepts. For example, "dog" might be connected to "animal," "pet," "fur," and specific breeds.
Unlike episodic memory, semantic memory doesn't require you to remember where or when you learned something. You know that 2+2=4, but probably don't remember the specific lesson where you first learned it.
Researchers believe semantic memory is organised in networks where related concepts are linked together. When one concept is activated, related concepts become easier to access - a process called "spreading activation." This explains why thinking about "hospitals" might make you think of "doctors," "nurses," and "medicine."
Studies using brain imaging show that semantic memory activates different brain regions than episodic memory, particularly areas in the temporal lobes. Patients with semantic dementia lose their knowledge of word meanings and concepts while their episodic memories remain relatively intact - further evidence that these are separate memory systems.
Procedural memory is your "how-to" guide - it stores information about how to perform actions and skills. This type of memory allows you to ride a bike, type on a keyboard, or tie your shoelaces without consciously thinking about each step.
Procedural memory has several distinctive characteristics:
Once fully learned, procedural memories can be accessed automatically without conscious effort. You don't need to think about how to walk or swim once you've mastered these skills.
Procedural memories typically develop through practice and repetition. They're acquired gradually rather than in a single learning episode.
Many procedural memories are difficult to put into words. You can ride a bike but might struggle to explain exactly how you balance or coordinate your movements.
Procedural memory is remarkably durable - once you learn to ride a bike, you rarely forget, even if you don't ride for years. This is why people say "it's like riding a bike" to describe skills that stay with you.
Clive Wearing, a British musician, developed severe amnesia after a brain infection. He lost almost all ability to form new episodic memories and much of his semantic memory. His memory span was just seconds long, leading him to feel as if he was constantly "waking up" for the first time. Despite this devastating memory loss, Wearing could still play the piano beautifully and conduct choirs - his procedural memory remained intact. This case provides powerful evidence that procedural memory operates independently from other memory systems.
Think about making breakfast:
Understanding these memory types can help with learning:
While we've discussed these memory types as separate systems, they often work together in everyday life. For example, when taking a maths test, you might use semantic memory for formulas, procedural memory for calculation techniques and episodic memory to recall examples from class.
Endel Tulving conducted experiments where participants learned lists of words. When asked to simply recall the words, participants used semantic memory. But when asked to remember when and where they learned specific words, they had to use episodic memory. Tulving found that these tasks activated different brain regions, supporting his theory that these are distinct memory systems.
Understanding these different memory types helps explain why we might be good at remembering some things (like how to ride a bike) but struggle with others (like what we had for dinner last Tuesday). It also helps psychologists develop better strategies for improving memory and treating memory disorders.
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