Introduction :
Memory is the cognitive ability through which the brain encodes, stores, and retrieves information. It serves as a repository of past experiences that shape future behaviors.
Researchers have identified categories of memory, including episodic memory, semantic memory, procedural memory, working memory, sensory memory, and prospective memory.
Each type of memory serves distinct purposes, ranging from the vivid recollections of episodic memory to the practical skills of procedural memory. Despite these variations, overarching principles regulate memory function, and significant brain structures like the hippocampus play a role in different memory types.
Psychologists often categorize memory into distinct types, recognizing three primary differentiations:
- Implicit vs. Explicit Memory: Psychologists make distinctions between implicit and explicit memory. Implicit memory exerts a subconscious influence on thoughts and actions, even if individuals are not consciously aware of the event or its memory.On the other hand, explicit memory refers to consciously accessible memories of events or knowledge.
- Declarative vs. Procedural Memory: Memory can also be classified as declarative or procedural. Declarative memory involves recalling facts, events, or information that one can explicitly state. In contrast, procedural memory involves remembering skills, routines, and processes that individuals execute without conscious awareness.
- Semantic vs. Episodic Memory: Another distinction is between semantic and episodic memory. Semantic memory entails the recollection of general knowledge and concepts, whereas episodic memory pertains to remembering specific personal events and experiences.
In certain instances, unconsciously entering information can impact thoughts and behavior, even though individuals remain consciously unaware of the event and its memory. This phenomenon is referred to as Implicit Memory.
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