Final answer:
Memory for facts and knowledge, such as word meanings and multiplication tables, is referred to as explicit memory, a type of long-term memory. Mnemonic devices and elaborative rehearsal are effective strategies to aid in transferring information to long-term memory.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Long-Term Memory
Memory for facts like word meanings and the multiplication tables is called explicit memory. This type of memory involves information that we consciously try to remember and recall. When information is successfully retained, it becomes part of long-term memory (LTM), which is our continuous storage of information.
Unlike short-term memory, which holds information for a brief period, long-term memory can hold a practically limitless amount of information. Within explicit memory, there are semantic memories, which pertain to facts and knowledge, such as vocabulary definitions and mathematical operations like multiplication tables.
Using mnemonic devices is one strategy to help transfer information from short-term to long-term memory. These devices can be acronyms, acrostics, or rhyming jingles that make it easier to recall larger bits of information. For instance, remembering 'Mr. VEM J. SUN' helps recall the order of the planets in the solar system.
Such techniques are part of memory-enhancing strategies aimed at improved encoding and retrieval of information.
Another effective strategy is elaborative rehearsal, where you think about the meaning of the new information and relate it to knowledge already existing in your memory.
This helps strengthen the memory trace, further facilitating storage in long-term memory. The file cabinet analogy describes how our brain organizes information into concepts for efficient retrieval.