Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHistoryTypesTips to ImproveImpactPitfalls

Table of ContentsView All

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Table of Contents

History

Types

Tips to Improve

Impact

Pitfalls

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Associative memory refers to the ability to remember relationships between concepts, and not just the individual concepts themselves.

History of Associative Memory

Tulving’s recency hypothesisis frequently cited in support of implicit associative memory, which states that when given a list to study with a short delay between each word, one is more likely to recall the words at the end of the list than at the beginning.

Types of Associative Memory

There are two main types of associative memory:implicit and explicit. Implicit associative memory is an unconscious process relying onpriming, whereas explicit associative memory involvesconsciousrecollection.

Implicit Associative Memory

An example of priming is when a person is shown a picture of a car, and then asked to identify a second picture that is related in some way (e.g., another car). If they are able to identify the correct match faster than if they had never seen the first picture, then it is considered evidence that the first picture primed the person to recognize the second.

Explicit Associative Memory

Explicit associative memory relies on conscious recollection of information or events. There are two types of explicit associative memory: episodic and semantic.Episodic memories are the recall of specific personal experiences, such as a wedding anniversary, while semantic memories refer to facts about the world, such as knowing that Paris is in France.

How to Improve Associative Memory

To improve associative memory, you can practice retrieval of associations, which helps strengthensynaptic connectionsin the brain and enhances their ability to be activated more quickly.

Below are some ways to practice the retrieval of associations.

2.Associate one person or thing to another in some way, such as using a rhyme, sentence or phrase.The association can be general (e.g., “grass is green”) or specific (e.g., “the doctor is in the house”).

3.Create a story with many associations to make it more memorable and to help you recall details.If you have trouble recalling information, then practice recalling it again and again, and note where you are having problems.

7.Create associations that show how things are alike or different from one another.For example, if you want to remember the steps in a process, then associate them somehow so that they make sense to you (e.g., “take out” is similar to “out of”).

10.Use a method that suits you best.Everyone is different, and some people find it easier to create music or phrases to help them remember things.

How Chunking Pieces of Information Can Improve Memory

Impact of Associative Memory

The value of developing associative memory capabilities has far-reaching implications for your daily life.

Establishing associations helps you to remember information more easily, such as names of people and places, phone numbers, birthdays, and anniversaries. This may help you to recall other related information about them (e.g., someone’s birthday might remind you that he or she has a party planned for that evening).

Association-forming techniques are also useful for recalling information on tests or in other testing situations (e.g., a driver’s test).

Pitfalls of Associative Memory

Associative memory is not always a perfect science. Below are some ways that associative memory might connect in ways that you don’t intend when a bad memory is brought back to your mind or a random association is created.

The Recency Effect in Psychology

A Word From Verywell

Associative memory is important in daily life. Effectively harnessing this ability can be a huge boon for success. If you struggle with associative memory, there are many techniques you can use to improve it. Some of these include the use of mnemonic devices, visualization, and association-forming strategies (such as linking things with each other).

By doing so, you will be able to recall memories more easily. Remember above all else, associative memory can be improved with practice.

5 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Mayes A, Montaldi D, Migo E.Associative memory and the medial temporal lobes.Trends Cogn Sci. 2007;11(3):126-135. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2006.12.003

Soderstrom NC, Bjork RA.Learning versus performance: an integrative review.Perspect Psychol Sci. 2015;10(2):176-199. doi:10.1177/1745691615569000

Kutas M, Hillyard SA.Event-related brain potentials to semantically inappropriate and surprisingly large words.Biol Psychol. 1980;11(2):99-116. doi:10.1016/0301-0511(80)90046-0

Renoult L, Irish M, Moscovitch M, Rugg MD.From Knowing to Remembering: The Semantic-Episodic Distinction.Trends Cogn Sci. 2019;23(12):1041-1057. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2019.09.008

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