Psychologists make a distinction between implicit and explicit processes in a number of domains, including memory and metacognitive knowledge

Describe the difference between implicit and explicit processes either in memory, or in metacognitive knowledge. Use specific examples to illustrate the difference.

What will be an ideal response?

Explicit memories are memories that individuals are consciously aware of, and they are usually verbalizable. Implicit memories are memories that individuals are not consciously aware of. They are not verbalizable, but they can be detected with more subtle measures, such as reaction time. In a study by Newcombe and Fox (1994) nine-year-old children were asked to identify photos of their preschool classmates. Some children were able to recognize the photos; however, other children were not. Regardless of whether or not children were able to recognize the photos explicitly, they exhibited physiological responses that suggested that they implicitly recognized the photos. Thus, some children exhibited implicit recognition in the absence of explicit recognition. Explicit metacognitive knowledge is verbalizable knowledge about people's (including one's own) thinking and performance on tasks. For example, fifth graders can tell you that it is easier to remember the gist of a story than it is to remember a story verbatim. Implicit metacognitive knowledge is knowledge about people's thinking and performance on tasks that is applied without conscious awareness. For example, young children automatically adjust their speech to accommodate the cognitive abilities of their listeners.