recognition vs recall

Recognition and recall are two ways our memory retrieves information. Recognition involves identifying something familiar when you see, hear, or experience it again—like recognizing a song on the radio. Recall requires actively retrieving information from memory without cues, such as remembering a friend's name without prompts. Typically, recognition is easier because it relies on identifying familiar cues, while recall demands more mental effort to bring information to mind independently. Both processes are essential parts of how we store and access our memories.