Which form of memory involves remembering to perform actions at a future time or when a certain event occurs?

• A. Explicit memory
• B. Episodic memory
• C. Prospective memory
• D. Working memory

Answer: (C)

Prospective memory is about future intentions: remembering to perform actions at a future time or when a specific event occurs. It involves forming an intention and then retrieving it later when the cue arrives, such as taking medicine at a certain time or giving a message when you see a particular person. This relies on cue-triggered retrieval and executive control to keep the intention active until it’s needed. There are two common forms: time-based (doing something at a set time) and event-based (doing something when a cue appears). This differs from explicit memory and episodic memory, which involve recalling past information, and from working memory, which holds and manipulates information in the short term for ongoing tasks.