(2026 Exam) Long-Term Memory

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Long-Term Memory

Long-term memory can be split into implicit and explicit memory. Explicit memory can be split into semantic & episodic memory and implicit memory can be classified as procedural or not.

Long-term memory (LTM)

Long-term memory is divided into two types: explicit and implicit.
Understanding the different types is important because a person’s age or particular types of brain trauma or disorders can leave certain types of LTM intact while having disastrous consequences for other types.

Explicit memory

Explicit memories are those we consciously try to remember and recall.
- For example, if you are studying for your chemistry exam, the material you are learning will be part of your explicit memory.
Sometimes, but not always, the terms explicit memory and declarative memory are used interchangeably.

Implicit memory

Implicit memories are memories that are not part of our consciousness.
They are memories formed from behaviours.
Implicit memory is also called non-declarative memory.

Procedural Memory

Procedural memory is a type of implicit memory that stores the knowledge of how to perform actions.

Procedural memory

Procedural memory is a type of implicit memory: it stores information about how to do things.
There is no conscious recall of procedural memory.

Example of procedural memory

For example, it is the memory for skilled actions, such as how to swim front crawl.
- If you are learning how to swim front crawl, you practice the stroke: how to move your arms, how to turn your head to alternate breathing from side to side, and how to kick your legs.
- You practice this many times until you become good at it.
- Once you learn how to swim front crawl and your body knows how to move through the water, you will never forget how to do it, even if you do not swim for a couple of decades.

Explicit memory

Explicit or declarative memory is associated with the storage of facts and knowledge that we have personally experienced and can consciously recall.

Explicit (declarative) memory

Declarative memory has to do with the storage of facts and events we personally experienced.
Explicit (declarative) memory has two parts: semantic memory and episodic memory.

Semantic memory

Semantic means having to do with language and knowledge about language.
Stored in our semantic memory is knowledge about words, concepts, and language-based knowledge and facts.
For example, answers to the following questions are stored in your semantic memory:
- Who was the first President of the United States?
- What is democracy?
- What is the longest river in the world?

Episodic memory

Episodic memory is information about events we have personally experienced.
The concept of episodic memory was first proposed about 40 years ago.
Currently, scientists believe that episodic memory is memory about happenings in particular places at particular times, the what, where, and when of an event.
Episodic memory involves the recollection of visual imagery as well as the feeling of familiarity.