Semantic and Episodic Memory

Semantic memory consists of knowledge about what words mean, about the ways they are related to one another, rules for using them in communication & thinking. In  Short, this kind of memory makes the use of language possible. Semantic memory is very stable.

Semantic memory 

Some experiments related to semantic memory have indicated that information is stored in logical hierarchies i.e. from general to specific one. Such organization help us to make logical inferences.

Episodic Memory
Episodic Memory

Episodic Memory (Tulving 1972) Consists of long term memories of specific things that happened to us at particular tomes & Places. Thus our “remembrances of past things” make our episodic memory. Unlike semantic memory, episodic memories seems to be organized with respect to certain events, which happened in our lives. The episodes don’t have logical organization. Thus episodic memory is less organised, and is more suspectable to loss & less helpful in drawing logical interferences.

Relation between Episodic memory and Semantic Memory

Episodic memory may be incorporated into our network of general knowledge & thus become part of our semantic memories.

Encoding & Storing long term memory

Encoding for L.T.M storage, requires special attention or strategies. Just being exposed to something is not sufficient for L.T.M Storage.

Organisation :- Organising or arranging the input  in some logical manner helps in long term memory. The organizational encoding may be inherent in the input itself, or it may be supplied by the individual as they learn & remember new things.

When we do our organizational encoding of the input, it is called subjective organization.

memory_chart_picture1
memory chart

Role of Imagery

Images are partial & altered representation of what is in the world around us. Use of imagery while encoding enhances memory.

Role of Constructive process:-During Encoding, the information to be remembered, especially if it is complex event is modified and are not coded as such. Certain details are accentuated while others are simplified, so that encoded information is far from a literal copy of the input. The modification are known as Constructive Process.

Adam Prudhomme memory.cmap
Adam Prudhomme memory.cmap

BoiHett (1932) in his classic experiment found that with the passing time, subjects simplify the story and only give the gist. Further more they also start drawing inferences.

Constructive Process involve –

  • Simplification (Leveling):- Leaving certain parts of the original story. Usually portions that don’t fit our scheme are left out .
  • Elaboration (Sharpening) :- Certain parts of the material retained are overemphasized & elaborated more than others .
  • Conventionalisation :- What has been retained is produced in conventional form.

Retrieval from LTM

Retrieval cues

Retrieval cues or reminder direct the memory search to the appropriate part of long-term library and therefore it is important to have retrieval cues or tags encoded along with information as it is put into LTM.

Retrieval is quite good when condition favor rich & elaborate coding. When we learn thing, we often provide our own retrieval cues at the time we encode information for storage just as we often provide our own organization i.e subjective organization of what we are learning. However retrieval cues are by themselves present in the information encoded.

Why do we Forget Something?: slide_2
Why do we Forget Something?

State Dependent Memory –State dependent memory is rather compelling demonstration of situational influences that affect retrieval from L.T.M. Hoetal (1975) found that animal encoded information when they are in a particular emotional or drugged state ,they may not be able to retrieve information when they are in another emotional state or are no longer drugged .

The emotional or drugged state is a part of the context within which memory is encoded or stored. Without the context, retrieval is poor with it retrieval is good.

Related Article: Information Processing Approach of Memory

Reconstructive process in retrieval

A constructive process refers to modification in the information input at encoding stage, whereas reconstructive process are modification of already stored input (retrieval stage). The distinction between constructive & reconstructive process is often blurred. It may be difficult to tell whether the modification in memory occurred at encoding stage or later. Reconstructive process is sometimes called confabulation in the case of people with memory disorder, who have stored very little & who then try to fill the memory gaps during retrieval.

You may also like...

46 Responses

  1. weed near me says:

    You have brought up a very wonderful details , regards for the post. There as two heads to every coin. by Jerry Coleman.

  2. ecommerce ppc management says:

    where do you buy grey goose jackets from

  3. more details says:

    Im thankful for the article post.Thanks Again. Great.

  4. click here says:

    Website worth visiting below you all find the link to some sites that we think you should visit

  5. click here says:

    Really appreciate you sharing this article post.Really looking forward to read more. Fantastic.

  6. Very good blog article.Really thank you! Want more.

  7. go to says:

    Merely wanna remark that you have a very nice internet site , I enjoy the style and design it actually stands out.

  8. Thank you a bunch for sharing this with all of us you really understand

  9. later than having my breakfast coming again to

  10. That is a great tip especially to those fresh to the blogosphere. Short but very precise information Thank you for sharing this one. A must read article!

  11. Im grateful for the post.Really thank you! Fantastic.

  12. I will tell your friends to visit this website..Thanks for the article.

  13. This very blog is obviously entertaining as well as amusing. I have picked helluva interesting things out of this blog. I ad love to go back again and again. Thanks a lot!

  14. Click here says:

    I think other site proprietors should take this web site as an model, very clean and wonderful user genial style and design, as well as the content. You are an expert in this topic!

  15. we could greatly benefit from each other. If you are interested feel free

  16. go to says:

    Wow, great article post.Really thank you! Fantastic.

  17. Wow, amazing blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you made blogging look easy. The overall look of your website is wonderful, as well as the content!

  18. click here says:

    Thanks again for the post.Really looking forward to read more. Much obliged.

  19. go to see says:

    topic. Do you know how to make your site mobile

  20. Whats up! I simply want to give an enormous thumbs up for the good information you have got right here on this post. I shall be coming again to your weblog for extra soon.

  21. go to says:

    Muchos Gracias for your article post.Really thank you! Want more.

  22. this website says:

    Wow, superb blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you made blogging look easy. The overall look of your site is fantastic, as well as the content!

  23. this website says:

    The action comedy Red is directed by Robert Schewentke and stars Bruce Willis, Mary Louise Parker, John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, Karl Urban and Brian Cox.

  24. more details says:

    Your style is really unique in comparison to other people I have read stuff from. Many thanks for posting when you have the opportunity, Guess I will just book mark this blog.

  25. When some one searches for his necessary thing, therefore he/she needs to be available that in detail, thus that thing is maintained over here.

  26. go to says:

    rare to see a nice blog like this one today.

  27. go to see says:

    Koi I met this in reality good News today

  28. loading instances times will sometimes affect

  29. view says:

    I was suggested this blog by my cousin. I am not sure whether this post is written by him as no one else know such detailed about my problem. You are wonderful! Thanks!

  30. go to see says:

    SACS LANCEL ??????30????????????????5??????????????? | ????????

  31. this website says:

    Say, you got a nice blog post.Really looking forward to read more. Will read on

  32. Thanks a lot for sharing this with all people you actually recognize what you are talking about! Bookmarked. Please also consult with my site =). We could have a link exchange contract among us!

  33. I will right away seize your rss feed as I can at to find your e-mail subscription link or e-newsletter service. Do you have any? Kindly let me know so that I could subscribe. Thanks.

  34. check says:

    This blog was how do I say it? Relevant!! Finally I ave found something which helped me. Thanks a lot.

  35. visit says:

    This is my first time go to see at here and i am really pleassant to read all at one place.

  36. this website says:

    Wow that was odd. I just wrote an really long comment but after I

  37. view says:

    Lovely site! I am loving it!! Will come back again. I am taking your feeds also

  38. Thanks for helping out, superb information. Our individual lives cannot, generally, be works of art unless the social order is also. by Charles Horton Cooley.

  39. Thank you for your blog.Really looking forward to read more. Really Cool.

  40. more details says:

    I wanted to thank you for this fantastic write-up, I definitely loved every little bit of it. I ave bookmarked your web site to look at the latest stuff you post.

  41. your associate link to your host? I want my site loaded up as fast as yours lol

  42. check says:

    Thanks you\аЂ аЂа›Buy Generic Viagra\аЂ аЂа›.

  43. My brother suggested I might like this website. He was totally right. This post truly made my day. You can not imagine simply how much time I had spent for this information! Thanks!

  44. This is one awesome article.Really thank you! Want more.

  45. click here says:

    Wow, great article.Much thanks again. Will read on

  46. go to see says:

    This blog was how do I say it? Relevant!! Finally I have found something that helped me. Many thanks!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *