Online Reference For Body, Mind & Spirit

Term: Confabulation

DEFINITION:
The natural ability of the mind to create imagined situations—false memories—to fill in gaps in the real memory that have been caused by physical trauma to the brain or psychic trauma to the mind. If a person is hypnotized and the hypnotist is not trained in procedures to help regain objective memories (known as forensic hypnosis), the subject may create false memories to fill in gaps or simply to please the hypnotist. False memories that were confabulated during hypnosis sessions led by non-professional hypnotists were one of the causes of the so-called “Satanic Panic” of the last quarter of the 20th century.