PSYC1003 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Dazed, 6 Years, Nocturnal Enuresis
Socio-Cognitive Development
Imaginary companions and their relation to socio-cognitive development
Play
oNon-serious activity in which children structure behaviour in idiosyncratic
ways not necessarily related to reality
oMany types of play:
Social contingency play e.g. peek-a-boo
Object play e.g. Lego
Language play e.g. babbling, rhymes
Physical play
Fantasy or pretend play
Imaginary companions
oA very vivid imaginary character with which the child interacts during his/ her
play and daily activities. Although the companion does not actually exist, it is
very real to the child who endows it with an individual personality and
consciousness. As a consequence, the child often refers conversationally to
the companion and indicates its presence throughout the day.
oIncludes invisible fiends, personified objects, and pretend identities
oHistory of research
Children with ICs described by parents as having “some type of
personality problem”
“all children with an IC must have some personality defect, with type
of IC indicative of particular problem”
Problem- no control groups, most children recruited from special
educational or mental health units
oCharacteristics of children with ICs
Up to 65% of children have an IC at one point in development
Most often first born and only children- spend more time alone
Generally, between ages of 3-9 years
Type Girls Boys Total
Invisible friend 27.6% 9.7% 18.8%
Personified object 12.4% 9.7% 11.1%
Pretend identity 10.5% 26.2% 18.3%
No IC 49.5% 54.4% 52%
IC children more likely to:
oBe reported by parents to be highly imaginative
oIncorporate myth into their play
oExplain events as magical
oDo not differ from non-IC children in number of real friends
Play episodes are reported mostly as positive experiences
oVerifying IC status
Child interview
Parents are asked separately the same questions about their child’s IC
for verification
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Their parents might not know about the child’s IC
Prosocial response in children- just say yes because they are more
likely to say yes than no
Ask same questions a week later
oFunctions
Fun and companionship
Loneliness
oCreate ICs when they are alone
oMore likely in only or first-born children
Issues of competence
oGirls have less competent ICs that they can nurture
oBoys have more competent ICs they can look up to
Restrictions or limitations in one’s own life
oICs can often do things the child cannot
Blame avoidance
oOften blame IC when they have done something wrong
oCan internalise expectations and rules but hasn’t lived up to
them
Means of communication
oCommunicate their feelings through their IC
Response to trauma
oChildren compartmentalise the type of trauma that has
happened to them
oE.g. sexual abuse, physical abuse, having a sibling being born
Method of processing interesting or significant events
oE.g. funeral
oDomains of strength
Understanding other others’ and own mind states
oBy impersonating or inventing another character they put
themselves in someone else’s shoes and simulate another
person and their behaviours
oAssists realisation that other people have different beliefs
oToby and Kidd- Referential communication
Have to describe one picture from an array of pictures
so the other person can find it from the array
oEngaging with a self-created IC facilitates children
understanding that their internal world is private
Language
oAsked to tell a story about a monster- children with ICs
produced more complex language and grammar
oPlay episodes are like stories- beginning, middle and end
oPrivate speech
ICs have more advanced covert private speech
Davis et al. studied children playing and noted if they
spoke overtly or covertly
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Document Summary
Imaginary companions and their relation to socio-cognitive development. Play: non-serious activity in which children structure behaviour in idiosyncratic ways not necessarily related to reality, many types of play: Imaginary companions: a very vivid imaginary character with which the child interacts during his/ her play and daily activities. Although the companion does not actually exist, it is very real to the child who endows it with an individual personality and consciousness. As a consequence, the child often refers conversationally to the companion and indicates its presence throughout the day: includes invisible fiends, personified objects, and pretend identities, history of research. Children with ics described by parents as having some type of personality problem . All children with an ic must have some personality defect, with type of ic indicative of particular problem . Problem- no control groups, most children recruited from special educational or mental health units: characteristics of children with ics.
