What Is the Difference Between Memory and Learning?

Memory is like a photo album, and learning is like taking photos. When you learn something new, it's like adding a new picture to the album. But when you remember it later, that's just looking at the picture again. So learning is about getting information in, and memory is about keeping it around for later.

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Examples

Learning is like studying a new song, and memory is remembering the words when you sing it later.
When you learn to ride a bike, your brain learns how to balance; memory keeps that skill with you even after you stop practicing.
Your brain can store memories of happy days at school, but learning is what helped you understand math problems in class.

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Categories: Psychology · memory· learning· cognitive psychology· brain function· neuroscience