July 5, 2024 was released on Netflix The Imaginary (The Imaginary in French), an anime that takes a deep look at children’s imagination. In this animated film by Japanese director Yoshiyuki Momose, Amanda is a young orphan who befriends Rudger, a blond toddler who, on screen, seems like a playmate like any other. Except that he doesn’t exist. A product of Amanda’s imagination, Rudger goes on an adventure and tries to escape from another human who also has an imaginary friend, but an evil one.
The British edition of The Conversation has looked into on the feature film, and its way of praising this psychological manifestation in which we have a relationship with an imaginary friend – or “imaginary companion”, as researchers prefer to call it, given that it is not always friendly. The creation of such characters is in fact a completely normal playful activity, observed all over the world, including among autistic children as well as among young deaf and blind people.
Studies reveal that more than half of children have imaginary sidekicks. This is also the case for many adolescents and almost 10% of adults. While these numbers may seem surprising, it all depends on how we classify these illusory friends. “I am of the opinion that if a child creates a spirit for his dolls or toys, he is using the same brain mechanisms as for invisible creatures, and that the latter must therefore be included in the category of imaginary companions,” says Paige Davis, a psychology researcher at the University of Leeds (United Kingdom).
A universe formed in the minds of children
“I found it heartwarming when Amanda’s mother explains to another adult that (the young girl) has been playing with an imaginary companion. This mother is aware of the benefits that an imaginary being can offer a child. What she may not know is how many positive skills are linked to this playful behavior.”writes about the Japanese film the psychologist, who has been working on this behavior for more than ten years.
It turns out that imaginary friends improve social skills, knowledge of thought, internal dialogue, narration, or description. These benefits have also been seen in children with autism. All this data shows that parents should not worry if their offspring talks, eats or plays alone, miming being accompanied.
These unreal characters take place in a universe formed in the minds of children, who have themselves created these protagonists. This can go as far as inventing entire worlds with societies, geographies, languages and cultures different from our real world: this practice is observed in children who are particularly creative in terms of storytelling. Scientists who study imagination call these worlds “paracosms”. Typically, these are invented in middle childhood, and are thought to be linked to the creation of the unreal companions.
In their paracosm, the imaginary companions of The Imaginary have their own friends, their own emotions, and their own activities. Some children see their imaginary characters as completely autonomous, beyond their control. Others see their companions more as an extension of themselves.
«When I visit schools for my research, children sometimes explain to me that they can see and hear their imaginary companions, even though they understand that I cannot.»says Paige Davis. In fact, the imaginary beings act as peers to these children, who turn to them as they would to a real friend for conflict, help and advice.
Source: www.slate.fr
