Which type of memory contains rules and methods for performing specific tasks?

Procedural memory is the type of memory that involves the knowledge of how to perform tasks and skills. It encompasses the rules and methods for executing specific activities, often without conscious thought. This type of memory is responsible for actions like riding a bicycle, playing a musical instrument, or typing on a keyboard, where the procedures become automatic through practice and repetition.

In contrast, semantic memory relates to facts and concepts that are not tied to personal experiences, such as knowing that Paris is the capital of France. Episodic memory, on the other hand, refers to the recollection of personal experiences and specific events in time, including emotional responses connected to those events. Working memory serves as a temporary storage system used to hold and manipulate information needed for tasks at hand, such as calculations or following directions, but does not specifically involve rules and methods for performing tasks.

Therefore, the reason procedural memory is the correct answer lies in its unique role in encoding and recalling the processes involved in completing various tasks, distinguishing it from other types of memory that focus on different aspects of knowledge.