Why Do Siblings Remember the Same Childhood So Differently?

Ask two siblings about the same childhood event and you may receive two completely different stories. One remembers a warm family holiday. The other remembers feeling ignored. One says their parents were strict. The other insists they were fairly relaxed. So who remembers correctly? Sometimes, both do. Research into family development has shown that siblings who grow up under the same roof do not necessarily experience the same environment. Differences in age, friendships, parental treatment, personality and timing can create what psychologists call a “nonshared environment”.