Anthony Metivier's Magnetic Memory Method Podcast

Declarative memory is used when consciously recalling information, big or small, usually in a sustained way. It’s also the type of memory you use every time you use memory techniques like the Memory Palace or basic mnemonics. That’s why these mental learning tools can sometimes feel effortful, especially when you’re new to using them. But that’s also why the effort fades with practice. So to give you a small sense of what declarative memory feels like, give this exercise a try: What’s the name of your first friend in school? Can you think about a specific event from the time you spent together? When I do this, my friend Ryan comes to mind. He was the first person to show me an American dollar, something that was unusual to see way up north where we lived in Canada. These facts about what took place, where we were and my personal familiarity with the memory: It all belongs to declarative memory. This is quite different from nondeclarative memory for reasons we’ll discuss on