No. #146
Cryptomnesia
- Unconscious Plagiarism
Cryptomnesia occurs when a forgotten memory returns without it being recognized as such by the subject, who believes it is something new and original. This can impact creative work, research, and idea generation, leading to unintentional plagiarism or the belief that a rediscovered idea is new.
Read more on WikipediaProduct example
A developer might propose a 'new' feature for an app, not realizing it closely resembles a feature they saw elsewhere but forgot about.
Empathy tips
Promote Awareness of Influence
Promote awareness among teams about the influence of past exposure on idea generation.
Encourage Originality Checks
Encourage checks for originality in idea development processes to identify potential cryptomnesia.
Document Inspiration Sources
Encourage documentation of inspiration sources for ideas and designs.
Foster Open Idea Sharing
Foster an environment where ideas are openly shared and discussed, helping to identify unintentional overlaps with existing work.
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