Source Monitoring Theory

Source Monitoring Theory explains how we identify where our memories or information come from—such as whether we personally experienced something, heard about it, or imagined it. Sometimes, we mistakenly attribute a memory to the wrong source, leading to false memories. For example, we might "remember" a conversation we only thought about. This process involves internal cues (like the feeling of it being real) and external cues (such as context). Understanding this helps explain why people's memories can sometimes be inaccurate, and highlights the importance of how we encode and recall information.