Procedural Knowledge

Synonyms

Automatic functioning; Habitual processing; Imperative knowledge; Schematic memory

Definition

Procedural knowledge is proposed as the system containing memories of how the human brain can proceed to do things.

Introduction

It is argued that physical activities as well as cognitive skills are the outcome result of procedural knowledge, as they are not expressed through verbal communication but by means of performance. Procedural knowledge is relatively autonomous in relation to declarative memory. This can be argued by the expression of certain types of amnesia such as anterograde amnesia and Korsakoff’s syndrome as individuals are no longer able to collect or recollect new declarative facts. Although painful and slower than normal, patients who suffer from amnesia are still able to acquire new procedural skills after the onset of the brain degeneration. Automatic functioning in procedural knowledge is also indicated by the learning procedures an amnesia patient’s brain is able...