Cryptomnesia is a psychological phenomenon where a person mistakes a memory for an original idea. It is often used to explain unintentional plagiarism, but it does not absolve the accused of guilt. Understanding how the brain stores and processes memories is key to studying cryptomnesia. Psychiatrists and psychologists believe it is a normal part of most memory processes, but not everyone agrees with this hypothesis.
Cryptomnesia is a psychological phenomenon in which a person mistakes a memory for a new and original idea. Psychiatrists and psychologists believe that most people experience cryptomnesia from time to time, but the extent of the phenomenon and how easily it can be controlled is somewhat controversial. It is commonly used to explain unintentional plagiarism and has been described as a theory of hidden memory or forgotten memory.
The basic principles of studying cryptomnesia include understanding how the brain stores and processes memories. Most people have the ability to memorize and recall a wide variety of details. Literary passages read, songs heard, projects seen, and conversations held are among the many memories people carry with them throughout life. Often, these memories will come back to people at seemingly random times. Cryptomnesia occurs when people confuse these old memories with new thoughts.
Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung was one of the first practitioners to study cryptomnesia in depth. Jung studied the phenomenon starting in 1902 in an article that sought a psychological explanation for the often painstaking work of psychics. His studies have extended from there to exploring how stored memories can influence so-called original thoughts years or even decades after initial exposure. Jungian psychology holds that cryptomnesia is a normal part of most memory processes.
Psychiatrists have long studied human memories and not everyone agrees with Jung’s hypotheses. One thing that is almost unanimously agreed upon, however, is that the human ability to recall specific memories is far greater than the ability to recall the sources of those memories. Most of the controversies surrounding cryptomnesia concern how it is applied and whether or not it can serve as an excuse for copying another’s work.
Cryptomnesia usually occurs in isolation, as opposed to just one memory. That the phenomenon exists is not as controversial as it is often diagnosed and applied to situations that otherwise look a lot like plagiarism. It remains controversial whether some sources can be selectively omitted from recollection, particularly when oblivion is beneficial to the data subject.
Plagiarism, or presenting someone else’s work as your own, is often considered a form of fraud. Regardless of how plagiarism is punished, it is almost universally frowned upon. Many accused plagiarists resort to cryptomnesia as a means of explaining what they call “automatic writing,” a form of inadvertent copying.
A defense that relies on cryptomnesia depends on two facts. First, the plagiarist once read, heard or saw the original work. Secondly, he unconsciously recalled some passage or part of that work, without attributing a source to it. The plagiarist then assumed that the thought was original and presented it as such to the public.
Cryptomnesia may be able to explain plagiarism, but it usually does not absolve the accused of guilt. In most cases, plagiarism occurs even if it wasn’t intentional. For this reason, writers, singers and creators of all genres are encouraged to research their so-called original thoughts before publishing them.
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