Misattribution

Misattribution is a memory problem that becomes more common with age and refers to when you forget where a memory comes from. For example, have you ever started telling someone a joke or story and then had them tell you that they were the ones who told it to you in the first place? This is because the source of that memory was lost or misattributed to someone else.

Older memories are particular prone to being misattributed due to their transience. Sometimes people can even think that something happened to them, when in fact it happened to someone else in the family. This is especially common for older married couples that have heard each other's stories many times over several years.

One way to help prevent misattribution is to stop and think carefully about a memory when you are recalling it. Try to think about who told it to you, when it happened, who else was there and why this is important to remember. Don't jump to conclusions. When you are making a new memory, focusing on the details will help you prevent misattribution in the future.