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Updated: Mar 16, 2026
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The Development of Representations of Pretend Object Substitutions
1Department of Psychology, Providence College, Providence, Rhode Island.
The Journal of Genetic Psychology
|August 24, 2016
Summary
This study reveals how children and adults mentally process pretend object substitutions. Findings show developmental changes in inhibiting reality versus activating pretend object identities.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- Numerous theories exist on the mental representation of pretense, but empirical testing has been limited.
- Understanding how pretend object substitutions are processed is crucial for cognitive development research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To empirically investigate the mental representation of pretend object substitutions in children and adults.
- To examine age-related changes in processing pretend actions compared to real actions.
Main Methods:
- Participants (preschoolers, older children, undergraduates) performed a reaction time task involving pretend object substitutions.
- Reaction times were measured for naming images of real identity, pretend identity, or unrelated items.
- Data were compared against control conditions using nonpretend actions to isolate pretense-specific processing.
Main Results:
- Preschoolers demonstrated inhibition of reality when processing pretend actions.
- Older children showed equal activation of both real and pretend object identities.
- Adults prioritized activating the object's real identity over its pretend identity.
Conclusions:
- The findings provide the first empirical evidence for distinct developmental stages in the mental representation of pretense.
- Results challenge and refine existing theories of pretense representation by highlighting age-specific cognitive strategies.
- This research offers insights into the cognitive mechanisms underlying symbolic thought and imagination across the lifespan.
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