Question

Explain the difference between explicit and implicit learning, and describe some evidence relating the importance of (1) the hippocampus and (2) the basal ganglia to each type.

Answer 1

Implicit learning - Implicit learning is learning that takes place without awareness. It requires less attention and mostly working memory is in progress in implicit learning. The examples can be how to drive a car, how to swim etc. These actions can also be performed without any conscious knowledge of things. It is about process learning Whereas as explicit learning requires attention, it involves conscious intake of knowledge. Explicit learners are aware that they have learned something such as learning an mathematical equation, they can verbalize what they have learned, this is about product learning

Both Hippocampus facilitates explicit learning. Hippocampus has spaitial memory which is facilitates driving a car, understanding routes etc. It also has declarative memory - which is responsible for facts and events such as how to memorize lines in speech, any facts etc.

Basal Ganglia facilitates implicit learning - It plays a major role in non-declarative memory, it is responsible for procedural learning or learing any habit. It is also said that basal ganglia fucntions for implicit as well as explicit memory.