Implicit memory: A commentary

Abstract

This commentary about implicit memory research deals with four issues: terminology, its underlying logic, cognate areas, and theoretical issues. First, although appropriate terms are still being developed to describe the phenomena of interest in this area, I advocate the explicit/implicit distinction for the different forms of memory and types of tests and argue that the term remembering should only be applied to explicit retention. Second, although discovering functional dissociations between two retention tests are a useful research tactic, I believe a better strategy is to use converging operations for theoretical constructs in the form of multiple tests. Third, implicit memory research should be informed by research on similar problems in other domains (e.g., motor skill learning, social cognition). Finally, if we accept the interpretation of explicit/implicit memory research in terms of memory systems, it appears that 5 major systems and 20 or so subsystems may be required. Historical analogues to this situation are briefly considered. © 1990, The Psychonomic Soceity, Inc.. All rights reserved.