V. Nondeclarative memory subsystems
A. Priming is an automatic or unconscious process that can enhance
the speed and accuracy of a response as a result of past experience.
Different cues (see examples below) prompt the retrieval
of memory. Memories are stored as a series of connections that
can be activated by different kinds of cues; there is not any single
location in the brain associated with a specific memory trace.
Priming helps trigger associated concepts or memories, making
the retrieval process more efficient.
1. An example of priming is repetition priming: You are faster
reading the word “pretzel” aloud when you have just recently
read it.
2. Another example is semantic priming: You are faster and
more likely to say the word “nurse” when you have just recently
read the word “doctor.”
B. Procedural memory is the memory for the process involved
in completing a task (e.g., motor memory) after the task is well
learned and has become automatic.
Examples include playing the piano, typing, hitting a tennis ball.
C. Classical conditioning is memory for associations formed between
two stimuli.
An example of classical conditioning is Pavlov’s classic
experiment with dogs: Just before presenting a dog with food,
the researcher rang a bell. Soon, the animal learned the bell
indicated food was imminent and would salivate at the sound of
the bell. Humans can also become conditioned to the sound of a
ring tone consistently paired with a specific caller.