Types Of Memory

1. Sensory Memory
Sensory memory is the shortest-lived type of memory. It is the memory
that directly relates to our senses: hearing, seeing, touching, tasting,
and smelling (Winkler & Cowan, 2005).
The purpose of sensory memory is to retain impressions of sensory
information after the original stimulus has ceased. It acts as a kind of
buffer for stimuli received through the senses.

A key feature of sensory memory is its short duration. It lasts for a

fleeting moment before disappearing, unless attended to (Nicholas,
2008).

This kind of memory is responsible for our ability to remember things

like the softness of a puppy’s fur or the aroma of fresh baked bread,
even years later.

2. Short-Term Memory
Short-term memory refers to memories that last from a few seconds to
about a minute. This type of memory facilitates the execution of tasks
at hand, like reading a paragraph or performing a calculation (Chai et
al., 2018).
Short-term memory keeps information in our minds for a brief period,
making it available for quick recall.

This crucial function enables us to process information, whether in work

or social environments (Chai et al., 2018; Nicholas, 2008).

However, its capacity is limited. For most people, only about seven items
can be held in short-term memory at a time.

3. Long-Term Memory
Long-term memory refers to the system in our brain that stores
information for extended periods, from hours to a lifetime (Baddeley,
Eysenck & Anderson, 2009; Norris, 2017).
Long-term memory serves as our personal database, storing facts,
experiences, and skills we’ve acquired over our lifetimes.
The information held in long-term memory ranges from what we’ve
learned at school to the skills we’ve gained through experience, like
knitting or playing an instrument.

Unlike short-term memory, there appears to be no limit to how much

information can be stored in our long-term memory database, although
our ability to recall such memories can fade with age or time (Revlin,
2012).

This longevity and versatility of long-term memory contribute to its

essential nature in our cognitive function.

4.Implicit Memory
Implicit Memory is also known as nondeclarative memory. This type of
memory involves recollection that does not require conscious thought.
It allows you to perform tasks by rote (Dew & Cabeza, 2011; Glisky,
2017).
Implicit memory, as the name suggests, relates to memories we don’t
actively recollect. This type of memory is formed and used unconsciously
and can affect thoughts and behaviors.

A subset of long-term memory, this might include learned motor skills,

habits, or conditioned associations. Procedural memory, as explained
before, is a part of implicit memory (Glisky, 2017).

While implicit memory might not take centre stage in conscious

cognition, it significantly influences our daily routines and behaviors.

5.Explicit Memory
Explicit memory involves the conscious recollection of factual
information, previous experiences, and concepts. This memory system
processes information that you are making a conscious effort to
remember (Dew & Cabeza, 2011).
Explicit memory encapsulates the conscious, intentional recollection of
factual information, previous experiences, and concepts. In essence,
when you ‘try’ to remember something, you’re tapping into explicit
memory.

It has two forms- episodic and semantic memory. With explicit memory
at work, you can recall that exciting cross-country trip or solve a
challenging puzzle.

So, despite its subtle operations, explicit memory plays a foundational

role in our cognitive experience.

6.Episodic Memory
Episodic memory refers to the memory of specific events or
experiences, remembered along with related details. It allows us to
travel back in time to recall these events (Herlitz & Rehnman, 2008;
Levy, 2013).
Episodic memory plays a key role in building our unique life stories. It
helps us recall that unforgettable vacation or a special birthday party. It
places you as a chief character in your narrative, recalling the time,
place, and emotional context of these memories (Levy, 2013).

It is a sub-type of both declarative memory and long-term memory (see

graph above). It also happens to be similar to flashbulb memory,
explained later.

7.Semantic Memory
Semantic memory refers to the capacity to remember facts and general
knowledge about the world that we’ve amassed throughout our lives.
It takes up the task of storing learned knowledge (Kearns & Lee, 2015;
Levy, 2013).
Semantic memory constitutes the ‘fact bank’ in your brain. It provides
the information that enables you to answer factual questions, like the
capital of France or solving mathematical problems.

It is less about personal experience than episodic memory, but no less

important. Working together, each memory type contributes to your
overall cognitive function and shapes your unique identity (Kearns & Lee,
2015; Levy, 2013).

Like episodic memory, semantic memory is a sub-type of both

declarative memory and long-term memory.

8.Procedural Memory
Procedural memory is a type of long-term memory involving how to
perform different actions and skills. Essentially, it’s the “how-to” part
of your memory (Votaw, 2020).
Proficiency in a range of activities is possible thanks to procedural
memory. From tying shoelaces to playing the guitar to driving, these are
all tasks well-managed by your procedural memory subsystem.

Regardless of complexity, what characterizes all procedural memories is

their automatic nature. Once a task becomes procedural, carrying it out
generally requires very little conscious effort.

Subsequently, procedural memory impinges heavily on areas like talent

and skill development, offering a significant cognitive and practical
advantage.

9.Declarative Memory
Declarative memory refers to a subtype of long-term memory. It’s the
type of memory that we refer to when we consciously recall facts or
events (Riedel & Blokland, 2015).
Declarative memory specializes in storing facts about the world and
personal experiences. This aids in forming your worldview and supports
your understanding.

Importantly, declarative memory has two subcategories: episodic and

semantic memory, both mentioned previously in this article.

Consequently, declarative memory forms a crucial part of our memory

system and cognitive abilities.

10.Working Memory
Working memory refers to the system that actively holds multiple
pieces of transitory information in the mind and manipulates them. It’s
where new information is temporarily held (Nicholas, 2008; Spielman,
Jenkins & Lovett, 2020).
For example, mental calculations need working memory. Without it, you
wouldn’t be able to remember what numbers you’re adding or
subtracting.

Just like short-term memory, the capacity for working memory is limited.
Nevertheless, it’s instrumental in guiding decision-making and behavior
(Nicholas, 2008).

Furthermore, working memory assists in other cognitive functions like

learning and reasoning, cementing its crucial role in our cognition.

11.Autobiographical Memory
Autobiographical memory is a memory system consisting of episodes
recollected from a person’s life. It’s not just remembering time, place,
and emotion, but also understanding the deeper context (Conway &
Rubin, 2019).
Autobiographical memory focuses on personal events and knowledge
about one’s self. It combines elements of episodic and semantic memory
to create contextualized memories.

The vividness and intensity of autobiographical memories often depend

on the emotional significance and personal importance of the events
(Conway & Rubin, 2019). Recalling the first day at your job or the birth of
your child would count as autobiographical memories.
12.Prospective Memory
Prospective memory involves remembering to perform future
intentions and actions at the correct time or in the right context. It’s
the art of remembering to remember (Kliegel et al., 2016; Smith, Hunt
& Murray, 2017).
Remembering to take your medication, meeting a friend, or even small
things like buying groceries on your way back qualifies as prospective
memory.

Interestingly, prospective memory is more about remembering to do

something rather than recalling something from the past (Kliegel et al.,
2016).

It’s a critical aspect of daily life that lets us plan and complete intended
actions in the future.

13.Retrospective Memory
Retrospective memory refers to the ability to remember past events,
information, and activities. It’s looking back and remembering what
happened (Chopik & Edelstein, 2019).
Retrospective memory is the counterpart to prospective memory. It’s
about recalling past events rather than thinking ahead.

This memory type contains all memories of the past, such as what you
ate for breakfast, your family’s birthdays, historical events, and learned
facts. It involves both episodic and semantic memory.

14.Echoic Memory
Echoic memory is a subtype of sensory memory that stores audio
information. It deals with auditory stimuli that we either ignore or
attend to and process further (Wingfield, 2016).
Echoic memory captures the sounds and words we hear and keeps them
fresh in our memories just long enough for us to pay attention and
process them.

It’s the reason why you can say “‘Pardon?'”, then answer the question
even without anyone repeating it (Wingfield, 2016). The echo of the
question remains in your mind for a few seconds – just long enough for
you to realize what was asked.

The duration of this type of memory is typically up to a few seconds,

allowing us an extra moment to pay attention or recall recent auditory
information.
 15.Iconic Memory
Iconic memory is a type of sensory memory that pertains to visual
information. In other words, it’s how the brain remembers an image
after briefly seeing it (Quilty‐Dunn, 2020).
Iconic memory handles the brief ‘snapshot’ of what you’re seeing at any
moment. It’s why, after seeing an image for just a fraction of a second,
we can still visualize it even after it’s gone (Quilty‐Dunn, 2020).

This fleeting memory helps create a sense of continuity in the visual

world. Even though our eyes dart to various points of interest, iconic
memory assists us in maintaining a stable and continuous perspective

16.Spatial Memory
Spatial memory is a cognitive process that allows us to remember
different locations and relate objects to those locations. It’s your
mind’s internal GPS (Olton, 2018).
Spatial memory allows us to recall where we’ve left our keys or parked
our car. When you navigate your way through familiar surroundings,
whether mundane like your house or complex like your city, that’s
spatial memory at work.

Spatial memory provides not just a mental snapshot of our surroundings

but also a dynamic model that we continually update as we move and
experience changes in our environment (Olton, 2018).

17.Associative Memory
Associative memory is a type of memory that connects various pieces
of information together. It’s about linking different bits of information,
creating a web of associations.
Associative memory aids your mind in making connections between
seemingly unrelated items. For example, hearing a particular song might
remind you of a specific moment in your past because your mind has
associated the two.

This type of memory plays an essential role in learning and enables us to

understand and interpret complicated concepts by relating them to
something familiar.
 18.Muscle Memory
Muscle memory, more formally known as motor learning, is a form of
procedural memory that helps our bodies to remember how to
perform specific tasks, like riding a bike or typing on a keyboard
(Sharples & Turner, 2023).
Muscle memory is responsible for the ease with which you can get back
into the rhythm of activities even after years of disuse (Sharples &
Turner, 2023). It maintains learned motor skills and allows you to
perform them without conscious effort.

Once actions become part of muscle memory, they’re ingrained in our

minds at such a level that they seem instinctive and natural instead of
acquired or learned, making this an essential tool for both general
functioning and specific skill acquisition.

19.Tactile Memory
Tactile memory involves how your brain retains and recalls information
about touch sensations, including texture, size, and temperature. It’s
remembering what something feels like (Gallace & Spence, 2020).
If you’ve ever identified an object just by touch, you have your tactile
memory to thank. It’s this memory system that allows you to remember
how soft your favorite blanket is or the feel of a cat’s fur under your
fingertips.

Tactile memory provides essential context to our interaction with the

world, as it helps us understand and recall the way things feel,
contributing depth and detail to our memories.

20.Olfactory Memory
Olfactory memory is the recollection of odors (Sullivan et al., 2015).
Humans can remember smells with 65% accuracy after a year, making
it a particularly potent form of memory.
In practice, certain odors can trigger vivid memories. For example, the
smell of fresh-baked cookies might bring back memories of baking with
your grandmother during your childhood (Sullivan et al., 2015).

This distinct form of memory is strongly tied to emotions and emotional

memory, largely because the olfactory system is connected to the limbic
system, an area of the brain heavily involved in experiencing emotions.

21.Flashbulb Memory
A flashbulb memory is a highly detailed snapshot of a moment or
circumstance in which particularly surprising or emotionally arousing
news was heard. It’s the memory that freezes a moment in time in
great detail (Brown & Kulik, 1977; Hirst & Phelps, 2016).
Flashbulb memories encapsulate moments of high emotional impact or
significance. They are vivid and detailed, almost as if the mind took a
high-resolution snapshot of a moment (Hirst & Phelps, 2016).

Interestingly, despite their vividness, flashbulb memories aren’t infallible

and can be influenced and distorted over time, just like any other
memories.

22.Recognition Memory
Recognition memory is the ability to identify information that you
encountered previously. It’s your ability to recognize something you’ve
experienced before.
Recognition memory allows you to judge whether you’ve seen a
particular face, object, word, or picture before. It’s what allows you to
identify a friend in a crowd or notice an unusual object in your normal
surroundings.

Recognition memory is a vital part of human cognition, underpinning

other functions like learning and episodic memory.

23.Recall Memory
Recall memory is the mental process of retrieval of information from
the past. Unlike recognition memory, which involves identifying
previously learned information, recall involves reproducing the
information without any specific cues.
Recalling details about an event you attended last week, retrieving
scientific facts for a test, or remembering the name of an actor in your
favorite movie are all examples of recall memory in action.

Recall is a fundamental component of cognition and is involved in tasks

from basic navigation through spatial environments to complex
problem-solving and planning.

24.Source Memory
Source memory is a specific form of memory that relates to recalling
the origin or source of a remembered fact, concept or event. It’s
remembering where or when you learned something.
For example, you might remember a fact about dolphins (semantic
memory), but also remember that you learned it during a visit to the
aquarium (source memory).

Source memory is what allows you to discriminate between real

experiences and information you’ve thought, heard, or inferred. It
provides context to your memories, making them richer and more
detailed.

25.Priming Memory
Priming memory, or just ‘priming‘, is an unconscious form of memory
that aids in identifying objects or words based on previous exposure to
similar stimuli. It’s your brain predisposing you to choose or recognize
a certain object or word.
Priming is not conscious, meaning you can be primed to think about
something due to your environment without even realizing it.

For example, if you saw the word ‘yellow’, you would be slightly quicker
to recognize the word ‘banana’ in a subsequent test. This happens
because ‘yellow’ and ‘banana’ are closely associated in your memory.

Priming memory demonstrates how our neural connections can be

‘prepared’ to react in particular ways based on prior encounters,
allowing for quicker information processing.

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