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14 - Beyond Flights of Fancy?

The Relations between Children’s Imaginary Companions, Creativity, and Coping

from Part III - Modes of Enhancement

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 November 2021

By
Naomi R. Aguiar  and
Marjorie Taylor
Edited by
Sandra W. Russ ,
Jessica D. Hoffmann  and
James C. Kaufman
Sandra W. Russ
Affiliation:
Case Western Reserve University, Ohio
Jessica D. Hoffmann
Affiliation:
Yale University, Connecticut
James C. Kaufman
Affiliation:
University of Connecticut
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Summary

Both past and current research indicates that the creation of an imaginary companion is a common, normative, and healthy form of elaborated role-play that emerges in early childhood. Imaginary companions are often the invisible friends that children create for themselves, or the special stuffed animals or dolls that children imbue with personalities. Children often describe and experience their imaginary companions in ways that parallel real friendships with peers. Their emotional investment in these invented characters raises important questions about the broader roles they serve in their lives. Current research in this area has focused on the developmental significance of imaginary companions, and the extent to which they might have a real and meaningful impact on children’s development. This chapter reviews the extant literature on imaginary companions, with a particular focus on the relations between children’s imaginary companions, creativity, and coping with adversity.

Keywords

imaginary relationshipsimaginary companionscreativitycopingresiliency
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Lifespan Development of Creativity , pp. 305 - 326
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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References

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