Implicit (procedural) memory is a kind of long-term memory which includes known actions and skills that cannot be described. It can also be referred to as unconscious or automatic memory because it utilizes previous experiences to remember skills without actually recalling the past event. Conversely, explicit (declarative) memories are another kind of long-term memory which involves conscious thinking to retrieve memories of past experiences. Explicit memories are easily described in words. While explicit memories are processed in the hippocampus (a neural center in the limbic system), implicit memories are processed in part by the cerebellum. The cerebellum, or “little brain,” is used to coordinate voluntary movement, such as the skills stored as implicit memories. In addition, the prefrontal cortex, parietal cortex, and basal ganglia are also involved in learning motor skills, which are stored as implicit memories. The image below illustrates the location of the limbic system and the cerebellum, among other structures.
Injury to areas of the brain that are involved in implicit memories, like the cerebellum or basal ganglia, can affect implicit learning. These kinds of memories are formed and reinforced by repeated signals across synapses. Implicit memories vary in complexity, therefore vary in the complexity in the neural pathways. Through repeating the skill, the pathways are reinforced so much so that the actions may become unconscious and automatic.
When I was learning how to drive a manual car, my brother struggled to describe how and where the clutch engages. He told me you have to feel it engage. He also said that it takes a lot of practice to get the car to move without stalling, but the more you do it, the easier it gets. Moreover, the more you drive, the smoother your transitions when switching gears. After learning, I tried describing how to drive manual to my sister before we got in the car, but I found it very challenging and ended up telling her you learn through trial and error. Additionally, after being away at school for a semester, I came home and jumped in our manual car to go to the store. Without thinking I started and about halfway there, I realized how quickly and thoughtlessly the skill came back, even though I had only driven the car for two months before I left for school. Driving a car is an example of an implicit memory. The difficulty in describing how to drive a manual car and the unconscious retrieval of the skill displays how driving a car a skill stored as an implicit memory.
Works Cited
“Cartoon Human Brain Anatomy in a Cut Vector Image.” VectorStock.
Cherry, Kendra. “What’s the Difference Between Implicit and Explicit Long-Term Memory?” Verywell Mind, Verywell Mind, 29 Aug. 2019.
Zimmermann, Kim Ann. “Procedural Memory: Definition and Examples.” LiveScience, Purch, 22 Feb. 2014.