Final answer:
Procedural memory is the long-term memory used for performing actions or skills such as riding a bicycle or driving a car, and it functions automatically without conscious thought. It is processed by the cerebellum and is distinct from declarative memory, which involves facts and events that can be consciously recalled.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of memory used for performing actions or skills is known as procedural memory, which is a subset of implicit memory. Procedural memory refers to the long-term memory of how to perform different actions and skills, such as riding a bicycle, swimming, or driving a car. These skills, once learned, are often executed automatically, without the necessity for conscious thought, representing knowledge we have acquired through experience and practice.
Procedural memory is distinct from declarative memory, which consists of facts and events we can consciously recall and describe. While declarative memory can be affected by proactive interference, where old information hinders the recall of newly learned information, procedural memory is usually resilient to such interference due to its habitual and automated nature.
The cerebellum plays a significant role in processing procedural memories, enabling us to perform a multitude of tasks with ease over time. For instance, when a person learns to kick a soccer ball, the cerebellum helps in fine-tuning the motor skills required to perform that task efficiently.