Editing Recall (memory) (section)

===Involuntary memory retrieval===
{{blockquote|Often, even after years, mental states once present in consciousness return to it with apparent spontaneity and without any act of the will; that is, they are reproduced involuntarily. Here, also, in the majority of cases we at once recognise the returned mental state as one that has already been experienced; that is, we remember it. Under certain conditions, however, this accompanying consciousness is lacking, and we know only indirectly that the "now" must be identical with the "then"; yet we receive in this way a no less valid proof for its existence during the intervening time. As more exact observation teaches us, the occurrence of these involuntary reproductions is not an entirely random and accidental one. On the contrary they are brought about through the instrumentality of other immediately present mental images. Moreover they occur in certain regular ways which in general terms are described under the so-called 'laws of association'.<ref>Ebbinghaus, H. (1885/1962). [http://psy.ed.asu.edu/~classics/Ebbinghaus/index.htm Memory: A contribution to experimental psychology.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050504104838/http://psy.ed.asu.edu/~classics/Ebbinghaus/index.htm |date=2005-05-04 }} New York: Dover.</ref>
|''Ebbinghaus, H'' (1885), <sub>as translated by Ruger & Bussenius (1913)</sub>}}

Until recently, research on this phenomenon has been relatively rare, with only two types of involuntary memory retrieval identified: involuntary [[autobiographical memory]] retrieval, and involuntary semantic memory retrieval. Both of these phenomena can be considered emergent aspects of otherwise normal and quite efficient cognitive processes.

[[File:Spreading-activation-graph-1.png|thumb|alt=alt text|A visual representation of [[spreading activation|Spreading Activation]] ]]
''Involuntary autobiographical memory'' (IAM) retrieval occurs spontaneously as the result of [[sensory cue]]s as well as internal cues, such as thought or intention. These cues influence us in our day-to-day lives by constantly and automatically activating unconscious memories through [[Priming (psychology)|priming]].<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Mace | first1 = J. H. | year = 2005 | title = Priming involuntary autobiographical memories | journal = Memory | volume = 13 | issue = 8| pages = 874–884 | doi=10.1080/09658210444000485| pmid = 16298894 | s2cid = 5608285 }}</ref> It has been demonstrated in many studies that our specific goals and intentions will most frequently result in the retrieval of related IAM, while the second most frequent IAM retrievals result from physical cues in the surrounding context. Autobiographical memories that are unrelated to any specific cues, whether internal or external, are the least frequent to occur. It has been suggested that in this case, an error in self-regulation of memory has occurred that results in an unrelated autobiographical memory reaching the conscious mind. These findings are consistent with metacognition as the third type of experience is often identified as the most salient one.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Ball | first1 = C. T. | last2 = Little | first2 = J. C. | year = 2006 | title = A comparison of involuntary autobiographical memory retrievals | journal = [[Applied Cognitive Psychology]] | volume = 20 | issue = 9| pages = 1167–1179 | doi=10.1002/acp.1264}}</ref>

'''Involuntary semantic memory retrieval''' (ISM), or "semantic-popping", occurs in the same fashion as IAM retrieval. However, the elicited memory is devoid of personal grounding and often considered trivial, such as a random word, image, or phrase. ISM retrieval can occur as a result of [[spreading activation]], where words, thoughts, and concepts activate related semantic memories continually. When enough related memories are primed that an interrelated concept, word, thought, or image "pops" into consciousness and you are unaware of the extent of its relatedness within your memory. Spreading activation is thought to build over a period of many hours, days, or even weeks before a random semantic memory "pops".<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Kvavilashvili | first1 = L. | last2 = Mandler | first2 = G. | year = 2004 | title = Out of one's mind: A study of involuntary semantic memories | journal = Cognitive Psychology | volume = 48 | issue = 1| pages = 47–94 | doi=10.1016/s0010-0285(03)00115-4| pmid = 14654036 | hdl = 2299/1970 | s2cid = 94185 | hdl-access = free }}</ref>