source monitoring

Source monitoring is the cognitive process by which individuals identify the origin of their memories, thoughts, or knowledge. It helps distinguish whether a piece of information comes from personal experience, reading, conversation, or imagination. For example, if you remember seeing a movie scene and later believe you experienced it firsthand, source monitoring helps determine whether that memory is real or a fictional creation. Accurate source monitoring is essential for coherent memory and for distinguishing between real events and imagined or external sources, but it can sometimes be prone to errors, leading to false memories or misattributions.