What is the term for incorporating misleading information into one’s memory of an event?

The term that refers to the phenomenon of integrating misleading information into one’s memory of an event is the misinformation effect. This concept is founded on research indicating that the memories we form can be significantly altered by subsequent information that contradicts or adds to our original experiences. For example, when individuals are exposed to incorrect details following an event, those details can become woven into their recollections, leading to inaccuracies in what they believe occurred.

The misinformation effect highlights the malleability of human memory and underscores how external factors, such as leading questions or misleading media, can create distortions in our recollections of events. It provides insights into how eyewitness testimony can be unreliable if the witness is later exposed to incorrect information about the event they witnessed.

In contrast, memory distortion, while it implies inaccuracies in memory, refers more broadly to any alteration or inaccuracy without necessarily emphasizing the external influences that lead to these inaccuracies. False memory syndrome deals specifically with recalling memories that an individual believes are true but are actually fabricated, often arising from suggestive therapy or leading information, rather than the general impact of misinformation. Cognitive dissonance describes the psychological discomfort experienced when holding contradictory beliefs or values but does not pertain to the accuracy of memory itself.