Do you know this surprising difference in our memory? (Implicit vs. Explicit Memory)

Imagine, you're riding a bicycle. You don't have to think about how to balance and pedal, do you? It just happens, automatically. But if someone asks you what you had for dinner last Tuesday, you have to think for a while and try to remember. Why do you have to try to remember the other while you can just remember this one? The reason for this is that our brain has two amazing memory systems. This is what we're talking about today.

What is the difference between these two types of memory?

Simply put, our memory can be divided into two main types: Implicit Memory and Explicit Memory.

Implicit memory is the stuff we remember automatically, without any conscious effort. These are things like our skills and habits. These are stored in our memory without us even realizing it. It's like when you're driving a car. When you want to speed up, you just step on the gas. When you want to stop, you step on the brake. You don't think, "Now I need to step on the gas."

Another example is that sometimes you react differently to an event because of something that happened in the past. For example, you may feel scared when you see something like that because you saw a scary movie before.

On the other hand, Explicit memory is what we consciously and consciously remember . This is how we remember facts and events. It is this memory that helps us answer questions like who, what, where, when, and how.

For example, this could include remembering your mother's birthday, the fact that a dolphin is a mammal, or the details of a trip you took last year.

Explicit memory can fade over time. If you don't remind yourself of something you've learned, it can be difficult to recall it later. But implicit memory is much more durable. Even if you don't practice it regularly, it's still there. Sometimes, it can last a lifetime.

Types of Implicit Memory

Implicit memory, sometimes called nondeclarative memory, has several main types.

Procedural Memory

This is how you remember how to do something. Things like reading Sinhala, swimming, tying shoelaces belong to this. You don't have to think about how to do these things, they happen automatically . After you learn to ride a bike, it becomes second nature to you because of this memory.

Priming Memory

This is a bit of a strange thing. Because of your past experience, the next response is determined here. Imagine, I give you 3 words, 'bath', 'clean', 'bubbles'. Then if you ask me to name a word that starts with the letter 'S', you are more likely to remember 'soap'. But if I give you 'cooking', 'eating', 'tasting' and ask you to name a word that starts with the letter 'S', you will remember 'soup'. See how the previous experience affects the next response? That's called ``Priming''.

Category Learning

This is what happens when you unconsciously categorize things. For example, you remember people's friendly faces. So, even if you've never seen someone before, you know when they're smiling, "This is a friendly person." This is how the brain helps us categorize and understand things.

Emotional Learning

Your emotions affect how memories are stored. You may remember a very happy day in your life, or a very sad day, as if it were today. But you don't remember the events of a normal day that way, do you? The reason is that memories associated with strong emotions are stored deep in the brain .

Perceptual Learning

This memory helps you understand what you see, hear, feel, smell, and taste. When you are exposed to the same thing over and over again, you can recognize even the smallest differences between similar things. For example, a musician can recognize even the most subtle differences between two musical notes.

Types of Explicit Memory

Explicit memory is also known as declarative memory. There are several main types of this.

Episodic Memory

This is where you remember the experiences that have happened in your life. These are like episodes of your life. For example, you remember things like your first day of school, your wedding, or a trip you went on with a friend.

Semantic Memory

This is how you remember things you've learned about the world. This includes things like general knowledge, things you learned in school, and the meaning of words. For example, you can remember that 'Istanbul is a city in Turkey' , or that 'a vase is something used to put flowers in' .

Autobiographical Memory

It's like your life story. It helps you remember your personal history. It's a combination of both episodic and semantic memory. Your memories of the things you see and the people you meet are shaped by your own perspective.

Spatial Memory

This helps you remember where certain objects or places are. Your brain stores things like direction, distance, and location to help you find your way. For example, this memory helps you remember the way from home to the store, or the location of the store you want in a shopping mall.

Let's explain further with examples.

To better understand the difference between these two types of memory, let's look at this example table.