Twins dispute memory ownership: A new false memory phenomenon

In three experiments, we examined a new memory phenomenon: disputed memorie s, in which people dispute ownership of a memory. For example, in one dispu ted memory each of two twins recollected being sent home from school for we aring too short a skirt, although only one of them was actually sent home. In Experiment 1, 20 sets of same-sex adult twins were asked to produce a me mory for each of 45 words, and most twins spontaneously produced at least o ne disputed memory In Experiment 2, 20 different sets of same-sex adult twi ns rated disputed memories as higher in recollective experience, imagery, a nd emotional reliving than nondisputed memories. In Experiment 3, siblings who were close in age as well as same-sex friends were also found to have d isputed memories, but less often than twins.