A theory of implicit and explicit knowledge
Open accessAbstract
The implicit-explicit distinction is applied to knowledge representations. Knowledge is taken to be an attitude towards a proposition which is true. The proposition itself predicates a property to some entity. A number of ways in which knowledge can be implicit or explicit emerge. If a higher aspect is known explicitly then each lower one must also be known explicitly. This partial hierarchy reduces the number of ways in which knowledge can be explicit. In the most important type of implicit knowledge, representations merely reflect the property of objects or events without predicating them of any particular entity. The clearest cases of explicit knowledge of a fact are representations of one's own attitude of knowing that fact. These distinctions are discussed in their relationship to similar distinctions such as procedural-declarative, conscious-unconscious, verbalizable-nonverbalizable, direct-indirect tests, and automatic-voluntary control. This is followed by an outline of how these distinctions can be used to integrate and relate the often divergent uses of the implicit-explicit distinction in different research areas. We illustrate this for visual perception, memory, cognitive development, and artificial grammar learning.
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Some KCs represent associations, perceptual categories, skills, or procedures that cannot be readily verbalized.
“Some KCs represent associations, perceptual categories, skills, or procedures that cannot be readily verbalized (cf., Alibali & Koedinger, 1999;Dienes & Perner, 1999).”
From The Knowledge‐Learning‐Instruction Framework: Bridging the Science‐Practice Chasm to Enhance Robust Student Learning (2012) · cites this paper as Dienes & Perner, 1999
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- Authors
- Dienes, Z., & Perner, J.
- Affiliations
- University of Sussex (GB)
- University of Salzburg (AT)
- Venue
- Behavioral and Brain Sciences
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 1999-10
- Volume
- 22
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 735-808
- ISSN
- 0140-525X (ISSN-L)
- 1469-1825
- OpenAlex
- W2001098248
- Cited by
- 672
- References
- 13
- Citations by year
- 2026: 22 · 2025: 36 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 27 · 2020: 30 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 24 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 35 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 31 · 2012: 34
- FWCI
- 20.49
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- figshare.com
- Licence
- Locations
- Behavioral and Brain Sciences (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Philosophy and Theoretical Science
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Epistemology, Ethics, and Metaphysics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Keywords
- tacit knowledge, explicit knowledge, knowledge representation, knowledge hierarchies, visual perception, memory, cognitive development, artificial grammar learning
- MeSH terms
- Cognition, Humans, Learning, Linguistics, Memory, Psychological Theory, Visual Perception, Knowledge
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