Imagination

Imagination is the ability to let go of reality, to make things up, to conjure up a different time and place, and to create people, their interactions, and emotions within a narrative. Imagination occurs at all ages, beginning at about the age of 2 years. An early sign of the emergence of imagination is, for example, when a child playing with a block claims that it is a truck. Imagination enables one to anticipate the future; however, it is usually invoked in a daydreaming manner, involving imagery that is illogical and not tied to the rules of logical thought. In these contexts, all things are possible. As imagination develops, it is important in many domains of creativity. This entry covers the development and role of ...