General types of memory:- working memory
- sensory memory
- short-term memory
- long-term memory
Working MemoryWorking memory is similar to short-term memory. However, unlike the latter, working memory is where a person manipulates information.
solving a complex math problem where a person must remember several numbers
baking something, which requires a person to recall the ingredients they already added
participating in a debate, during which a person must remember the main arguments and the evidence each side uses
Sensory MemorySensory memory holds sensory information for very brief periods of time, usually 1 second or less. The processing of memories and other information begins in this type of memory.
If a person pays attention to sensory input, then the information may move into short-term and then long-term memory.
Some examples of sensory memory include:
registering the sounds a person encounters on a walk
briefly acknowledging something in a person’s field of vision
Long-term memory Long-term memory stores a wide range of memories and experiences.
Most memories that people recall, especially those older than about 30 seconds, are part of long-term memory.
Many researchers divide long-term memory into two subcategories: implicit and explicit.
- Explicit long-term memory
- Explicit memories are conscious memories of events, autobiographical facts, or things a person learns.
- Some types of explicit long-term memory include the following.
- Episodic memory
- These are memories of events or autobiographical facts. Examples of episodic memory include remembering an election, events from childhood, and personal facts, such as if someone is married.
- Semantic memory
- Semantic memories are general knowledge about the world. A person may remember a fact or event that they did not experience because they learned or studied it.
- For instance, knowing what the human heart looks like is an example of semantic memory. However, it would be an episodic memory if the person can remember dissecting a pig heart in school.
- Implicit long-term memory
- Implicit memories are memories that influence a person’s behavior. However, people do not consciously think about them.
- Some types of this memory include the following.
- Procedural memory
- Procedural memory helps a person perform familiar tasks, such as walking or driving.
- At first, they might have to learn to do these things and remember specific skills, but eventually, these tasks become an automatic part of procedural memory.
- Priming
- Priming occurs when experiences influenceTrusted Source a person’s behavior.
- For example, a smoker might crave a cigarette after a meal, or an experimenter might train a person to press a button in response to a photo.
- Classical and operant conditioning both prime people or animals to perform specific behaviors in response to certain experiences.
Short-term memoryShort-term memory allows a person to recall a limited string of information for a short period.
These memories disappear quickly, after about 30 secondsTrusted Source.
Short-term memory is not just memory that does not last long. Instead, it is a type of short-lived storage that can only hold a few pieces of information.
Some examples of short-term memory include:
remembering a string of 5–7 words and repeating it back
remembering a phone number while getting a pen to jot it down