Implicit learning is the learning of complex information in an unintentional manner, without awareness of what has been learned. According to Frensch and Rünger (2003) the general definition of implicit learning is still subject to some controversy, although the topic has had some significant developments since the 1960s. Implicit learning may require a certain minimal amount of attention and may depend on attentional and working memory mechanisms. The result of implicit learning is implicit knowledge in the form of abstract (but possibly instantiated) representations rather than verbatim or aggregate representations, and scholars have drawn similarities between implicit learning and implicit memory. Examples from daily life, like learning how to ride a bicycle or how to swim, are cited as demonstrations of the nature of implicit learning and its mechanism. It has been claimed that implicit learning differs from explicit learning by the absence of consciously accessible knowledge. Evidence supports a clear distinction between implicit and explicit learning; for instance, research on amnesia often shows intact implicit learning but impaired explicit learning. Another difference is that brain areas involved in working memory and attention are often more active during explicit than implicit learning.
Definition The definition of the concept of implicit learning is still developing and subject to controversy. Despite a considerable number of studies on the topic, there is no agreement on a single definition. Due to such large differences in the understanding of implicit learning, some scientists even argue that the concept does not exist. Some definitions among dozens:
Reber argues that implicit learning is "characterized as a situation-neutral induction process whereby complex information about any stimulus environment may be acquired largely independently of the subjects' awareness of either the process of acquisition or the knowledge base ultimately acquired." Shanks and St. John claim, "We will reserve the term unconscious learning for learning without awareness, regardless of what sort of knowledge is being acquired." Stadler and Frensch say, "Essentially we argue that learning is implicit when the learning process is unaffected by intention." The definitions of implicit learning typically concentrate on the process of acquisition, the knowledge gained and/or the process used for retrieval.
History Pioneer work in implicit learning started as early as 1885 with Ebbinghaus's Über das Gedächtnis which touched on learning and memory. In 1967, George Miller began Project Grammarama at Harvard University. The study was conducted to understand rule-learning. In the experiment participants were given a string with an underlying finite-state grammar to memorize and then were asked to recognize other strings that followed the same grammar. The participants were unaware of the underlying grammar in the memorization stage. The experiment showed that the subjects were better able to memorize strings that followed the rules of the grammar than the strings that did not. Miller coined the term pattern conception to indicate the ability to generalize rules from one observation to another fairly consistent observation. Miller's work was the cornerstone for what is now the most widely studied paradigm of implicit learning: artificial grammar learning. Miller's work was seminal to Arthur Reber's work in artificial grammar learning. In 1967, Reber devised a replica of Miller's experiment with the adjustment that participants would NOT be told that the string to be memorized followed a set of complex rules and that they would be required to identify whether or not other strings followed the same rules. Reber was interested in studying whether or not systematic recording (an explicit process) was used when the participants made their decisions on whether or not the string followed the rule. The experiment did not show evidence to support this. Reber's initial assumption that artificial grammar learning is therefore implicit is the foundation for much of the more recent grammar learning researches. Reber's early contributions to implicit learning opened up the topic as a field of study. Since then, research on implicit learning has been slowly on the rise and in the last 20 years, there has been a very significant increase in the number of published articles pertaining to implicit learning. The topic has been studied in relation to real world systems (dynamic control systems), artificial grammar learning and sequence learning most extensively. There has been much debate on the bare existence of implicit learning because knowledge so gained is not verbalizable. Little research has been conducted on the requirements for the process of implicit learning to take place.
Paradigms of implicit learning Research in implicit learning must follow certain properties in order to be carried out validly and accurately. The stimuli used to carry out studies should be chosen at random with synthetic and difficult-to-crack rule-governed structures. It is important that the stimuli have an underlying structure that the participant does not have previous knowledge of. In order to prevent participants from understanding the underlying structure, the rule in place must be complex. If the rule is too easy, participants will be able to mentally deconstruct the structure and the experiment will no longer test implicit learning. The stimulus should also have no meaning or attached emotion as to rid of any outside factors that may affect the participant's learning. The three paradigms of implicit learning that have been studied in depth are artificial grammar learning, sequence learning, and dynamic system control. Other paradigms include probability learning, conditioned response learning, acquisition of invariant characteristics and second language acquisition.
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