Implicit Versus Explicit Memory

Abstract

Although memory is typically defined in terms of conscious, intentional recollection (explicit memory), memory for past events can also influence behavior unintentionally and without conscious recollection (implicit memory). Initial research uncovered numerous differences (dissociations) between implicit and explicit memory with regard to neurological populations (e.g., patients with anterograde amnesia) and experimental manipulations. Subsequent investigation also uncovered dissociations among different forms of implicit memory (e.g., perceptual vs. conceptual priming, production vs. identification priming). Neuroimaging studies have likewise explored these forms of memory, providing a richer understanding of the neural bases of implicit and explicit memory.