Memory lapse

Tell me about your mother Psychology

For our next session...

Cognitive biases Mental health Superstition Famed psychologists

Popping into your mind

Human Potential Movement Freudian slip Re-evaluation Counseling Ideomotor effect Bayesian Lie detection Behavioral sink Factitious disorder Lee Jussim v - t - e

A "memory lapse" is a convenient unfortunate inability to recall specific events when asked about them by a Senate (US) or Parliamentary (UK) body. These events often concidentally occur in case where the "forgotten" information wold be detrimental to the interogatee or her/his organisation.

Alternative explanations for inability to answer valid questions include: the unexpectedness of the topic; the protection of other's rights; commmercial sensitivity of the information and "security".

Similar events occur in less formal circumstances, as when being quizzed by television or newspaper reporters, in such cases it is often easier to divert the query or to give deceitful answers.

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