Implicit memory is the ability to recall things automatically without conscious effort, and is often studied in people with brain impairment. It is separate from explicit memory and can be leveraged in learning strategies. Understanding the differences between the two types of memory can help address memory impairment issues and improve teaching methods.
Implicit memory is a fascinating concept, which states that there are many things people know automatically, in almost any situation, without trying to remember. These things are simply present, having been learned previously, and require no effort to know them. Many physical tasks are involved; most people don’t forget how to walk, for example, and don’t have to remember how to do it every time they get up. There are other forms of implicit memory as well. One area where this form of memory is most studied is in people with brain impairment, and a variety of tests suggest that unconscious recall may remain at a higher level, while conscious or explicit memory is impaired in some people with brain impairment. .
Unsurprisingly, psychology is particularly fascinated by implicit memory, since many psychological theories espouse the belief in an unconscious. This contains ideas, thoughts and beliefs that can drive behaviors/thoughts that not even the conscious person can explain. The link between an unconscious thought/feeling process and implicit behavior is not fully understood, but studies are beginning to establish that implicit and explicit memory are often completely separate.
Some of the most compelling work on implicit memory has been done by testing people with forms of amnesia. The amnesiac cannot use explicit memory to remember much, but given exposure to certain things he may be able to use implicit memory to produce certain responses. Some of these tests depend on prior exposure to some form of prompt, often a word, which is then produced without needing to reach for it at a later point. While not all explicit and implicit memory can be separated, it is suggested that with amnesia, the implicit memory may still be very strong, even if the explicit memory is not.
Relying on implicit memory is often part of learning strategies. Students are given material that they may need to know for testing, and by studying that material, they can put it so firmly in their minds that they will always remember it. This isn’t always the case, and many people forget what they’ve learned as they get older.
While facts may be forgotten, students are likely to automatically fall back on certain things, such as how to take a test, how to write an essay, and a general sense of the topics being studied. Recollection of these may be automatic, and a student returning to school after a 20-year absence may feel immediately at ease in the academic environment, especially when reviewing any previously studied material.
Studies of differences in implicit and explicit memory may be useful for addressing memory impairment issues and for teaching unconventional learners. How to more easily leverage the implicit memory system is a consideration for curriculum designers.
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