Implicit Memory (procedural)

Definition

Implicit (or procedural) memory is responsible for knowing how to do things, also known as motor skills; it’s what allows you perform tasks without conscious thought once you have mastered them.

Related terms

Classical Conditioning:

A learning process that occurs when two stimuli are repeatedly paired; it's an example of implicit memory because the response becomes automatic.

Habituation:

This refers to the decrease in response to a stimulus after being repeatedly exposed to it, demonstrating how implicit memory can affect our behaviors and reactions over time.

Motor Skill Learning: The process of improving the smoothness and accuracy of movements, which is heavily reliant on implicit memory.