Memorywhose

Memorywhose is a theoretical term used in discussions of memory provenance and attribution. It denotes a proposed subsystem of memory that stores not only content but information about its own source, origin, or authorship, i.e., whose memory a memory represents. In this sense memorywhose separates the content of a memory from the meta-information about where that memory came from and how certain it is.

Etymology reflects the blend of memory and whose, highlighting ownership, source, and attribution. In cognitive theories, memorywhose is not necessarily a separate anatomical structure but a functional process that underlies source monitoring and reality monitoring, helping distinguish between an actual experience, a recalled event, an imagined scene, or a learned rumor.

Conceptually, memorywhose would involve tagging memories with source labels, confidence levels, and contextual cues; retrieval would bring back both the content and its provenance. In artificial intelligence, memorywhose could be implemented as a metadata layer attached to stored data, enabling explainable AI and robust data provenance.

Applications include understanding false memories, improving education by tracking knowledge provenance, and enhancing AI explainability. It may also have forensic relevance by clarifying the basis of recalled statements.

Critics argue that the idea risks increasing cognitive load, may not map cleanly onto biological processes, and could complicate memory retrieval without clear empirical support. It remains a theoretical construct with limited empirical validation.

History notes that memorywhose was coined in speculative discussions and thought experiments exploring memory attribution, and it has not become a standard term in mainstream cognitive science.

See also: source monitoring, reality monitoring, memory, data provenance, provenance tracking.