Title: The distinction between explicit and implicit memory

Brief Description: Explicit memory is the conscious experience of remembering previously learned information, while implicit memory is evident when this information (unconsciously) affects performance on tasks. A debate spanning over three decades concerns whether these two forms of memory are independent of one another and supported by distinct cognitive systems. Evidence for this ‘multiple-systems’ account comes from studies showing that performance on explicit (e.g., recognition) and implicit (e.g., priming) memory tasks are differentially affected by various experimental factors, such as divided attention (e.g., Butler & Klein, 2009), and study duration (e.g., Voss & Gonsalves, 2010). Furthermore, individuals with amnesia usually exhibit a selective impairment in one form of memory (e.g., Gabrieli et al., 1995), and while normal ageing is associated with a gradual decline in explicit memory, many studies have shown that implicit memory remains stable with age (reviewed in Fleischman 2007; but see Ward, Berry, & Shanks, 2013).