Theory of Memory Types

[dark]

I have been trying to figure out why I seem to have a memory that far exceeds the rest of my family and friends and I have theorized that there are 4 types of memory.

Sensory memory.
Reflex memory.
Muscle memory.
Mental memory.

There may be other types, but I can't seem to figure anything else out.

Most of the people I know exist within sensory, reflex or muscle. I have met very few who work within mental.

Sensory memory is conveyed through bodily senses. Most that have this, only use a small variance of it. It consists of the ability to recall a sense, such as something one has touched, and can feel it again on their body. Or the recall of a smell, or something like a semi-photographic memory, which I think a true photographic memory requires the use of probably all 4 types.

Reflex memory can be seen withing people who play video games, sharpshooters, quick-draw people, athletes require this also. Use of trivial such as remembering countless facts.

Muscle memory is pretty much the most common. Things like using tools, knitting, typing on a keyboard without looking at it, etc. A lot of people exist with this.

Mental memory is a strange thing to define. It does not consist of remembering facts and stuff, that kind of stuff actually would fall withing reflex memory. Mental memory is would be described as the use of our minds, it works our nervous system best, remembers not facts, but ideas, formulates things, numbers, geometry, spacial visualization. It is the construct of living inside ones head essentially, fantasy, imagination etc, but to more extreme than the normal.

Now all people use each of the memories, but they each are to a certain degree. I am not sure if we each have equal abilities in each, or if we are born with one more developed within possibility than another.

I really don't know much about this stuff, I am just theorizing the ideas. I really don't think there is one supreme memory. Each has benefits that others do not, and each can be strengthened in individual ways that differ from the rest.

This about as much as I have thought of so far, I really only started thinking about this a few days ago without much thought until I started to explain my idea to someone today.

I know I am probably going in the wrong direction in these thoughts, but I find them quite interesting to say the least.

 

[Cogwulf]

I think it's accurate to say there are different types of memory, but I think that categorisation is approaching it from the wrong angle. I think it needs a "bottom up" approach.

For example, with reflex memory, a typical instance where it is used is where you are driving a car, you see something out of the corner of your eye, and you brake before you've consciously noticed a danger. If you break this down into individual stages, first your visual memory flags something you see as a danger. Secondly your memory of events connects this visual cue to a previous occurrence, and then your muscle memory repeats the familiar action of braking. Hence reflex memory is a conglomerate of other memory types.

 

[dark]

Ah interesting, good point. So there are probably many types of memories we use daily without even knowing what we are doing. Will have to try the hierarchical thoughts within this.