noun

confabulation

kun-fab-yuh-LAY-shun/kənˌfæbjəˈleɪʃn/

An invented memory believed to be true.

The adult's confabulation replaces the blue bicycle in the photograph with a red one.

An adult sincerely recalls a red bicycle in a memory bubble while an old photograph visibly shows a blue bicycle in the same setting; puzzled sincerity, no lying gesture or moral blame.

Etymology

conLatintogether

+fabulLatinto talk, chat

+ationLatinaction or process

The pieces originally describe talking together or familiar conversation. The supplied history establishes that earlier meaning but does not trace the shift to the psychological sense of an unintentionally false memory.

In context

Building Brain Awareness7:11

it is a false memory there's many kinds of false memories confabulation is one and there's no intent for the person to lie even though it may seem like they're lying

Confabulation With Brain Injury

More examples

The clinician recognizes her account of yesterday's visitors as a confabulation.
His confabulations fill gaps in what he remembers after the injury.
A confabulation is not a deliberate attempt to deceive anyone.

Forms

confabulation · confabulations

confabulate verb — To produce invented memories mistakenly believed true.

Similar words

false memory: Broader term for a recollection that does not match reality.
delusion: A firmly held false belief, not necessarily about remembered events.