What Is Cryptomnesia? Why Your Best Ideas Might Be Accidental Plagiarism

A man with multiple overlapping ideas (created using Envato)

Have you ever shared what you believed to be a brilliantly original idea in a meeting, only to realise later that it was something you had heard before? If so, you have experienced cryptomnesia—a fascinating memory glitch where we unintentionally 'borrow' ideas that we have forgotten we encountered elsewhere.

Understanding Cryptomnesia in the Workplace

Cryptomnesia (also known as unconscious plagiarism) can be particularly problematic in workplace settings. A study by Macrae et al. (1999) found that participants unconsciously plagiarised previously seen ideas at rates of 32% when generating new solutions under time pressure—a common condition in today's fast-paced work environments.

The researchers conducted three experiments examining how contextual factors influence unconscious plagiarism. After seeing examples, participants generated novel uses for everyday objects in their most workplace-relevant experiment. When later asked to create "new" ideas under time pressure (simulating workplace deadlines), participants inadvertently copied at rates of 32%.

Particularly relevant is that participants reported high confidence that these plagiarised ideas were original. The researchers discovered that source monitoring—our ability to track the origins of information—significantly deteriorates under cognitive load and time constraints.

Why Your Brain Creates False Originality

This explains precisely why your "best ideas" can feel original despite being remembered: the brain's source monitoring system becomes compromised in the conditions common in creative workplace tasks. Your subjective experience of originality remains intact even when the idea is recycled.

Even more striking, Macrae found that when participants were primed to focus on creativity rather than accuracy, accidental plagiarism rates increased by an additional 14%, suggesting that our innovative efforts may ironically increase unconscious idea theft.

This isn't about dishonesty. Your brain tries to be efficient, retrieving useful information while sometimes losing track of its source. The challenge is that what feels like innovation to you might be recollection.

Preventing Accidental Plagiarism at Work

What can you do to avoid cryptomnesia?

1. Document your inspiration sources habitually

2. Create intentional space between consuming others' ideas and generating your own

3. Use collaborative attribution practices in team settings

The next time you experience that "eureka" moment, take a moment to reflect: "Where could this idea have originated?" Your professional integrity—and innovative thinking—will benefit from it.

What memory phenomenon has affected your work without you realising it? Share in the comments!

Reference: Macrae, C. N., Bodenhausen, G. V., & Calvini, G. (1999). Contexts of cryptomnesia: May the source be with you. Social Cognition, 17(3), 273-297. https://doi.org/10.1521/soco.1999.17.3.273