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Which of the following is a correct definition of a misattribution?

1) Incorrectly recalling an event due to an external suggestion
2) A feeling of fluency being attributed to a correct source
3) Recalling an event that did not actually occur
4) A feeling of fluency being attributed to an incorrect source

User Alvae
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

A misattribution of memory is the incorrect identification of a memory's source, such as attributing a remembered event to the wrong person or situation. It is a type of memory error distinct from suggestibility, which involves external suggestion influencing memory.

Step-by-step explanation:

A misattribution of memory occurs when an individual incorrectly identifies the source of a memory. An example of this would be mistakenly believing you experienced an event with one person when it occurred with another, or thinking a certain fact came from a reliable source when it came from an unreliable one. The correct definition of a misattribution from the options provided is: A feeling of fluency being attributed to an incorrect source.

In the context of memory errors, a misattribution is distinct from suggestibility, which involves the incorporation of misinformation from external sources into one's memory, often because of leading questions or suggestions from another person. Misattribution, on the other hand, is an error that arises internally where a person incorrectly recalls the origin of a memory. This is particularly important in the understanding of false memories and how individuals may develop convictions based on such memories as if they were true.

User Vinod Tigadi
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