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Related Concept Videos

Encoding01:19

Encoding

Information enters the brain through encoding, which is the input of information into the memory system. Once sensory information is received from the environment, the brain labels or codes it. The information is then organized with similar information and connected to existing concepts. Encoding occurs through automatic processing and effortful processing.
Automatic processing involves the encoding of details like time, space, frequency, and the meaning of words, usually done without conscious...
Storage01:23

Storage

A schema is a mental framework that helps individuals organize and interpret information. Schemata, formed from previous experiences, influence how we process new information: how we encode it, the inferences we make, and how we retrieve it. For instance, a schema for what a typical classroom looks like might include desks, a teacher's desk, a whiteboard, and students in such an environment. This expectation helps us quickly understand and navigate new classrooms without needing to analyze each...
Explicit Memories01:27

Explicit Memories

Explicit memories, also known as declarative memories, are consciously remembered, recalled, and reported. Studying for a chemistry exam involves material that will become part of explicit memory. There are two types of explicit memory: episodic and semantic.
Episodic memory contains information about personally experienced events and is reported as a story. An example of episodic memory is recalling a birthday celebration. This type of memory includes the what, where, and when of an event, as...
Understanding Memory01:19

Understanding Memory

Memory is the retention of information or experiences over time, facilitated through three main processes: encoding, storage, and retrieval. Encoding is the process of inputting information into the memory system. For instance, when listening to a lecture, watching a play, reading a book, or having a conversation, the brain is actively encoding information. This initial stage involves transforming sensory input into a form that can be processed and stored by the brain. Various factors, such as...
Elaborative Rehearsals01:07

Elaborative Rehearsals

Elaborative rehearsal is a crucial cognitive strategy that strengthens information encoding in long-term memory by making meaningful connections between new data and pre-existing knowledge. This approach contrasts with maintenance rehearsal, which involves simple repetition without delving into the significance of the information. While maintenance rehearsal might temporarily keep information active in short-term memory, it is less effective for long-term retention.
The effectiveness of...
Long-Term Memory01:18

Long-Term Memory

Long-term memory is a relatively permanent type of memory, capable of storing vast amounts of information over extended periods. Its storage capacity is generally considered unlimited.
Long-term memory can be categorized into two primary types: explicit and implicit memory. Explicit memory, also known as declarative memory, involves the conscious recollection of information that we deliberately try to remember, recall, and articulate. This type of memory encompasses specific facts, events, and...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm
06:35

Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm

Published on: April 28, 2016

Enactment versus conceptual encoding: equivalent item memory but different source memory.

Ava J Senkfor1, Cyma Van Petten, Marta Kutas

  • 1Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA; Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA. senkfor@nmr.mgh.harvard.edu

Cortex; a Journal Devoted to the Study of the Nervous System and Behavior
|May 13, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Enacting physical actions does not automatically enhance memory retrieval compared to conceptual tasks. Memory recall depends on the specific demands of the memory test, influencing what information is accessed.

More Related Videos

A Within-Subject Experimental Design using an Object Location Task in Rats
09:28

A Within-Subject Experimental Design using an Object Location Task in Rats

Published on: May 6, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm
06:35

Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm

Published on: April 28, 2016

A Within-Subject Experimental Design using an Object Location Task in Rats
09:28

A Within-Subject Experimental Design using an Object Location Task in Rats

Published on: May 6, 2021

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Psychology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • The enactment effect suggests physical actions improve episodic memory encoding by incorporating motoric information.
  • This motoric information is hypothesized to be spontaneously retrievable during later memory tests.
  • Previous research has not definitively established the extent of spontaneous motoric information retrieval.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether enactment (physical action) leads to superior memory performance compared to a conceptual encoding task (cost estimation).
  • To examine if enactment encoding spontaneously retrieves motoric information.
  • To determine how memory retrieval strategies are influenced by different memory test types.

Main Methods:

  • Participants performed an object recognition task after either enactment or cost-estimation encoding.
  • Brain activity was measured using event-related potentials (ERPs) during old/new recognition and source memory tests.
  • Accuracy and brain activity were compared between encoding conditions and across different memory tests.

Main Results:

  • Both encoding tasks showed high accuracy and distinct brain activity for studied vs. unstudied objects, with no difference between enactment and cost-estimation.
  • Enactment did not lead to spontaneous retrieval of motoric information during the old/new recognition test.
  • During a source memory test, enactment encoding yielded higher accuracy and different brain activity, indicating task-relevant retrieval.

Conclusions:

  • The study does not support the hypothesis that enactment encoding spontaneously retrieves motoric information.
  • Memory retrieval is flexible and depends on the specific demands of the memory test.
  • Distinct temporal phases of brain activity reflect object differentiation and retrieval orientation during memory tests.