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1 results

  • 14 - Beyond Flights of Fancy?

  • from Part III - Modes of Enhancement
  • Edited by Sandra W. Russ, Case Western Reserve University, Ohio, Jessica D. Hoffmann, Yale University, Connecticut, James C. Kaufman, University of Connecticut
  • Book:
    The Cambridge Handbook of Lifespan Development of Creativity
    Published online:
    19 November 2021
    Print publication:
    25 November 2021, pp 305-326

  • 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.