Chapter 6: Implicit and Explicit Memories

What are explicit memories?

memories that are consciously available such as facts and personal experiences

things that are consciously recollected

What are implicit memories?

procedural memory system: actions, skills, operations

memory that is not deliberate or conscious but shows evidence of prior learning and storage

What is priming?

the activation, often unconsciously, of particular associations in memory

What is semantic priming?

the activation of related words when a word and its meaning are activated

exposure of one word facilitates recognition of other cognitive processing of semantically related words

What is repetition priming?

Presentation of one stimulus affects performance on that stimulus when it is presented again

facilitation of cognitive processing of information after recent exposure to same information.

What are conclusions of repetition priming?

1) nonwords typically show no or little repetition priming relative to real words
2) priming is greater for words that share the same morphology or roots of meaning than for words that are visually or aurally similar.

What is the dissociative phenomena?

When one tasks appears to be independent or disassociated from performance on another

Explanation behind dissociation phenomena

1) postulate two memory systems, such as declarative and procedural memory and assert that explicit memory tasks rely on former and implicit memory tasks rely on latter.

2) two kinds of memory tasks require different cognitive procedure, even if they tap into the common memory system. Most implicit memories tasks require perceptual processing (interpreting sensory information) and explicit memory requires conceptual processing

What is the process dissociation framework?

the idea that memory tasks typically call on mixture of automatic and intentional cognitive processes (implicit and explicit memories)

What are automatic processes?

states of consciousness that require little attention and do not interfere with other ongoing activities

What are controlled processes?

Involves alert awareness and mental effort in which the individual actively focuses their attention on achieving a particular goal (E.g. learning to drive, writing a SAC, public speaking)