Definition
Procedural memory describes an implicit memory relating to learned tasks. Examples include learning to ride a bike or learning difficult athletic moves. Procedural memory usually cannot be verbally explained, as these skills are unconsciously learned. Therefore, only performance of the activity can be used to measure this type of memory. Procedural memory is a subset of implicit memory. It is contrasted with declarative memory, a subset of explicit memory. Different types of procedural memories are sometimes separately referred to as motor, perceptual, or cognitive procedural memories (Mochizuki-Kawai, 2008). Most commonly, procedural memory is measured through a task that employs more than one of these types such as Pursuit Rotor Task or Star Mirror Task (Van Gorp, Altshuler, Theberge, & Mintz, 1999).
Historical Background
Procedural memory processing occurs without any conscious acknowledgment, and has...
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences and Readings
Beaunieux, H., Hubert, V., Witkowski, T., Pitel, A. L., Rossi, S., Danion J. M., et al. (2006). Which processes are involved in cognitive procedural learning? Memory (Hove, England), 14(5), 521–539.
Churchill, J. D., Stanis, J. J., Press, C., Kushelev, M., & Greenough, W. T. (2003). Is procedural memory relatively spared from age effects? Neurobiology of Aging, 24(6), 883–892.
Corkin, S. (1968). Acquisition of motor skill after bilateral medial temporal-lobe excision. Neuropsychologia, 6, 255–265.
Kawai, H., Kawamura, M., Mochizuki, S., Yamanaka, K., Arakaki, H., Tanaka, K., et al. (2002). Longitudinal study of procedural memory in patients with Alzheimer-type dementia. Brain and Nerve [Nō To Shinkei], 54(4), 307–311.
Mochizuki-Kawai, H. (2008). Neural basis of procedural memory. Brain and Nerve [Shinkei Kenkyū No Shinpo], 60(7), 825–832.
Rueda-Orozco, P. E., Montes-Rodriguez, C. J., Soria-Gomez, E., Méndez-Díaz, M., & Prospéro-García, O. (2008). Impairment of endocannabinoids activity in the dorsolateral striatum delays extinction of behavior in a procedural memory task in rats. Neuropharmacology, 55(1), 55–62.
Swinnen, S. P., Puttemans, V., & Lamote, S. (2005). Procedural memory in Korsakoff’s disease under different movement feedback conditions. Behavioural Brain Research, 159(1), 127–133.
Van Gorp, W. G., Altshuler, L., Theberge, D. C., & Mintz, J. (1999). Declarative and procedural memory in bipolar disorder. Biological Psychology, 46(4), 525–531.
Walker, M. P. (2005). A refined model of sleep and the time course of memory formation. The Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 28(1), 51.
Ward, H., Shum, D., Wallace, G., & Boon, J. (2002). Pediatric traumatic brain injury and procedural memory. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 24(4), 458–470.
Yamadori, A., Yoshida, T., Mori, E., & Yamashita, H. (1996). Neurological basis of skill learning. Brain Research. Cognitive Brain Research, 5(1–2), 49–54.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
About this entry
Cite this entry
Zichlin, M. (2011). Procedural Memory. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79948-3_1143
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79948-3_1143
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-0-387-79947-6
Online ISBN: 978-0-387-79948-3
eBook Packages: Behavioral ScienceReference Module Humanities and Social Sciences