Research has shown that it isn't such a bad thing for children to have imaginary friends or hear voices. While these are indicators of possible dysfunction in adults, it seems perfectly healthy and, indeed, common for children. This begs the question for the evolutionary psychologist of the imaginary friend's function. Perhaps for isolated or shy children it allows them to practice their social skills in the privacy of their own heads where mistakes can be made without damaging consequences.
> Via Psycport
How to Be Creative
If we can all be creative, why is it so hard to come up with truly original ideas?
It's because creativity is mysterious. Just ask any scientist, artist, writer or other highly creative person to explain how they come up with brilliant ideas and, if they're honest, they don't really know.
But over the decades psychologists have given ordinary participants countless tests, forms and tasks and conducted hundreds of hours of interviews. From these emerge the psychological conditions of creativity.
Not what you should do, but how you should be...
Join PsyBlog's 51930 readers now:
Share/save this article:
Featured