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Related Concept Videos

Working Memory01:24

Working Memory

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Working memory refers to a combination of components, including short-term memory and attention, that allow an individual to hold information temporarily as we perform cognitive tasks. It is an essential cognitive function that enables the execution of complex tasks such as problem-solving, comprehension, and reasoning. Unlike short-term memory, which simply involves the storage of information for a brief period, working memory involves the active manipulation and processing of this...
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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.
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Implicit memories, also known as non-declarative memories, are long-term memories that function outside of conscious awareness. These memories influence behavior and skills without explicit knowledge. This type of memory is evident in tasks like playing tennis, snowboarding, and texting. Implicit memory has three subsystems: procedural memory, conditioning, and priming. This type of memory is essential in various activities, from everyday tasks to specialized skills.
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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.
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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...
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Forgetting is a complex cognitive phenomenon influenced by several factors, among which interference and decay are particularly prominent. These processes explain why individuals often struggle to retrieve specific information from memory, leading to lapses in recall that can be observed in everyday situations.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 18, 2025

Examining the Characteristics of Episodic Memory using Event-related Potentials in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease
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Is Activity Silent Working Memory Simply Episodic Memory?

Andre O Beukers1, Timothy J Buschman2, Jonathan D Cohen2

  • 1Department of Psychology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.

Trends in Cognitive Sciences
|February 8, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Activity-silent working memory (ASWM) may not require sustained neural firing. Instead, episodic memory (EM) mechanisms, which are also activity-silent, could explain ASWM findings.

Keywords:
activity silent working memorycognitive controlepisodic memoryworking memory

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Neurobiology

Background:

  • Traditional working memory (WM) theories posit sustained neuronal activity for information maintenance.
  • The Activity-Silent Working Memory (ASWM) hypothesis suggests short-term synaptic changes support WM without persistent neural firing.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose that episodic memory (EM) mechanisms can account for findings attributed to ASWM.
  • To offer a more parsimonious explanation for ASWM evidence.

Main Methods:

  • Theoretical analysis comparing ASWM and EM mechanisms.
  • Review of existing literature on WM, ASWM, and EM.

Main Results:

  • Episodic memory relies on rapid, activity-silent synaptic modifications.
  • EM traces exhibit longer persistence than hypothesized ASWM transient changes.
  • Established EM mechanisms can explain key ASWM findings.

Conclusions:

  • The role of episodic memory in working memory tasks offers a parsimonious explanation for ASWM.
  • Further research should explore the overlap and distinctions between EM and ASWM mechanisms.