what is memory? we often think of memory as being synonymous with the words retention or remembering. as such,most people consider that the word memory indicates a capacity to remember. Endel Tulving (1985),a leading contemporary memory researcher and theorist,stated that memory is the"capacity that permits organisms to benefit from their past experiences"(p.385). given this view, it is not surprising that the study of human memory involves a variety of topics. in this discussion,we will look at several of these topics by looking into memory issues that are relevant to the study of motor learning.