The ability of children with imaginary companions to differentiate between fantasy and reality

Abstract

This study investigated the ability of children with and without imaginary companions (N = 80) aged 4‐8 years to differentiate fantasy from reality. Following children's descriptions of a monster, a monster‐shaped silhouette was unexpectedly projected in the room. Video‐recordings of each child's reaction to the silhouette and responses to a subsequent series of questions indicated that a significantly larger number of imaginary companion than non‐imaginary companion children thought that an imaginary entity could be reflected in reality. However, as a number of nonimaginary companion children also thought that an imaginary entity could be reflected in reality, differences in children's level of credulity, rather than the presence or absence of the imaginary companion, was considered to account for the fantasy‐ reality confusion.

Return of the Candy Witch: Individual differences in acceptance and stability of belief in a novel fantastical being

“…The difference in our findings is most likely due to the greater sample size in this study. This finding contributes to a growing body of research that indicates that individual differences in fantasy orientation do not imply differences in overall ability to make the fantasy-reality distinction (Bouldin & Pratt, 2001;Taylor et al, 1993).…”

“…One possibility is that children who are frequently immersed in fantasy and imaginative play are more likely to confuse their imagined representations for representations of real events. Bouldin and Pratt (2001) found that children with imaginary companions were more likely than other children to believe that an imagined monster had materialized inside a tent, but other studies have found no relationship or a negative relationship between fantasy orientation and fantasy beliefs (Dierker & Sanders, 1996/1997Prentice et al, 1978;Taylor, Cartwright, & Carlson, 1993;cf. Sharon & Woolley, 2004;Singer & Singer, 1981).…”

Pretend Companions (Imaginary Playmates): The Emergence of a Field

“…Over the last couple of decades, children's ability to distinguish between pretense and reality has been examined (e.g., Bouldin & Pratt, 2001;Bourchier & Davis, 2002;Davis, Woolley, & Bruell, 2002). The old notion that children have poor reality testing has been challenged, and children's relations with pretend companions are now construed as a vivid merging point between fantasy and reality.…”

Verbal–Behavioral Dissociations in Development

“…Dissociations between verbal and behavioral responses have been obtained in a wide range of domains. Studies on children's ability to make the fantasy -reality distinction reveal mature responding when children are asked questions about fantasy, yet their behavior appears to reveal fantastical beliefs (Bouldin & Pratt, 2001;Harris, Brown, Marriot, Whittall, & Harmer, 1991;Johnson & Harris, 1994;Subbotsky, 1993). Other work similarly reveals more mature responding in verbalizations.…”

“…A number of studies of children's magical and fantastical beliefs (Bouldin & Pratt, 2001;Harris et al, 1991;Johnson & Harris, 1994;Subbotsky, 1993) have revealed more mature knowledge in verbalizations than in behavior. In Harris et al (1991, Experiment 4), 4-to 6-year-old children looked into an empty box and pretended that either a monster or a rabbit was inside.…”