Imagination inflation

Biological Parallel

Mental rehearsal uses the same neural circuits as action, and repetition strengthens those pathways regardless of reality. Cats stalking prey show preparatory muscle activation patterns that mirror actual pouncing—repeated mental rehearsal makes the motor memory feel increasingly 'real.' Corvids (crows, ravens) mentally simulate cache locations before hiding food; repeated simulation of hiding in a location can interfere with memory of actual cache sites. Primates watching others perform actions show mirror neuron activation indistinguishable from performing the action themselves. Each imagination cycle triggers reconsolidation, strengthening the memory trace. In humans, imagining a childhood event just 3 times increases confidence it occurred by 15-25%. The mechanism evolved for skill-building—mental practice improves performance—but creates false memories when applied to autobiographical events.