confabulations
Invented memory narratives
Confabulations are fabricated memories or stories that the teller believes to be true.
In psychology and neurology, the term describes false memories produced unconsciously by people with brain damage or certain mental conditions—not lies, but sincere inventions filling gaps in memory.
More loosely, confabulations are the products of casual conversation or chat: Their late-night confabulations ranged from politics to childhood memories.
Believed but untrue recollections
- memory distortionInaccurate recall of events
- amnesiaPathological loss of recall
- memory gapsMissing pieces of recollection
- neurologicalOf the nervous system
dementia · brain injury · frontal lobe · memory deficit · unintentional
Original creations or devices
- tall talesFantastical exaggerated stories
- embellishmentsDecorative extras added on
- fictionsInvented narratives
- falsehoodsDeliberate untruths
fibs · concoctions · stories · untruths · exaggerations · distortions · spin · elaborations
Informal conversations
- discussionsConversations examining a topic
- talksSpeaks with others
- exchangesReciprocal transfers between parties
- dialoguesExchanges between speakers
banter · gossip · chitchat · gabbing · schmoozing · nattering · yarning · palavering
false memories
Believed but untrue recollections
- memory distortionInaccurate recall of events
- amnesiaPathological loss of recall
- memory gapsMissing pieces of recollection
neurological · dementia · brain injury · frontal lobe · memory deficit · unintentional
inventions
Original creations or devices
- tall talesFantastical exaggerated stories
- embellishmentsDecorative extras added on
- fictionsInvented narratives
falsehoods · fibs · concoctions · stories · untruths · exaggerations · distortions · spin · elaborations · half-truths
chats
Informal conversations
- discussionsConversations examining a topic
- talksSpeaks with others
- exchangesReciprocal transfers between parties
dialogues · banter · gossip · chitchat · gabbing · schmoozing · nattering · yarning · palavering · kibitzing
confabulationsfacts
Verifiable pieces of truth
truths · realities · verities · actualities · historical facts