Confabulation is a good word. It leads naturally from our discussion in "epiphanitis" about suddenly seeing something, or becoming consciously aware of something, which has been there, unnoticed, all along.

No-one actually came up with a word which precisely describes this 'perceptual prestidigitation', but all agreed the phenomenon is real.

"Confabulation" is almost the opposite of the word we are searching for (which I will call the Xword for the sake of convenience).

The Xword means 'suddenly becoming aware of something which has always been there', whereas "confabulation" is fabricating an untruth out of something which is actually there, whilst tricking oneself into believing the fabrication is true.

Here's a formal definition:

To fill in gaps in one's memory with fabrications that one believes to be fact.

Confabulation is actually more common than most people think.

When we dislike someone or something and we don't have a rational reason for it, that is, a reason which is not simply emotional, we often "confabulate".

This confabulation reconciles our intellectual response with our emotional response and it makes us feel better about being 'pig-headed'.

No-one likes to think of themselves as pig-headed, of course, so confabulation serves a purpose ... of sorts.

Of course, people who confabulate are only fooling themselves.

I know it is considered bad form to quote oneself, but my purpose is benign so I will depart from my usual courtesies.

To see what's always been there
Often takes more than a stare
Sometimes it's a bump
Or a kick in the rump
That makes us become aware.