false memory syndrome

false memory syndrome, the experience, usually in the context of adult psychotherapy, of seeming to remember events that never actually occurred. These pseudomemories are often quite vivid and emotionally charged, especially those representing acts of abuse or violence committed against the subject during childhood. It is not entirely clear how pseudomemories come about, but certain therapeutic practices are considered likely to reinforce and encourage their creation. For example, some therapists use hypnosis or techniques of...