Implicit Memory

We must first know what implicit and explicit memory is before we can discuss the differences and which creates greater retention of learning. Implicit memory also known as Procedural memory is information you remember unconsciously or without effort and explicit memory also known as declarative memory is information that you have to intentionally or willfully work to remember so that it can be easily recalled. Implicit memory being the experiential form of memory is broken into three types which are priming, procedural and conditioning. Priming is exposure to prior influences which is when one stimulus influences the response to another. Procedural is basically repetition induced motor memories which is like learning to kick a football correctly at training and repeating it each session so it becomes easier to

Explicit memory however is used when we encounter a situation where we try to recall something we learned in the past from our stored memory for example trying to remember a math formula for a pop quiz.

Although explicit memory is more systematic in that you can learn specifically what you want to remember, there is a chance that sometime down the road you may not remember even if you taxed your brain as hard as you can. I believe implicit memory however, creates a greater retention of learning because it is an impossible or extremely challenging task to unlearn or forget how to walk or ride a bike unless of course someone sustains a brain injury in which this case is irrelevant. Therefore that knowledge is easier to retain because the information we learn implicitly is information that would stay with us and be remembered unconsciously. I think if we can create a way to study implicitly, then school would be much easier for us