Do you claim funny stories as your own?

A new study says 32 per cent of us have spiced up anecdotes with details stolen from someone else. File photo / Thinkstock

Do you ever find yourself retelling someone else's amusing anecdote? Well don't worry, it turns out you are not alone.

A study has revealed that almost half of us have tried to pass off a good story as our own.

And 53 per cent of us have heard somebody retelling one of our anecdotes.

Scientists from Southern Methodist University in Texas asked 447 people to take a survey about their storytelling habits.

The researchers described stealing stories as "memory borrowing", and said it could lead to the creation of "false memories".

They found 46 per cent had heard a story and later passed it off as their own. And 32 per cent had spiced up anecdotes with details stolen from someone else.

Lead researcher Professor Alan Brown said: "This appears to be motivated by a desire to incorporate others' experiences into our own autobiographical record.

"Other reasons include to create a more engaging exchange, convey somebody else's interesting experience or make oneself look good.

"A substantial percentage expressed uncertainty as to whether an experience actually belonged to them or to someone else."

- Daily Mail