The Relationship between Attention and Memory Retrieval

Abstract

Researchers were trying to explore the relationship between attention and memory retrieval in many different methodologies. This paper aims to clarify the complex relationship between attention and memory. Most early research from the 1900s suggests that memory retrieval is an automatic process that does not require attention. Moreover, in line with intuition, research about implicit memory also suggest that it is an automatic process. However, recent research about explicit memory retrieval suggests otherwise. Neuro-imaging research found that the region that activates during memory retrieval also activates during visual attention. Animal research about attention demand and spatial memory retrieval showed that attention could help memory encoding and retrieval. By studying individuals with attention deficits, it can conclude that attention is crucial for suppressing memory retrieval. Furthermore, behavioral research suggests that divided attention can impair memory retrieval. Thus, memory retrieval is not an automatic process.