The author employs neurobiology to help explore deception in nature and self-deception in human beings. She examines activities that may appear playful but that lack such hallmark qualities of play as equality, mutual pleasure, and voluntarism and that can, therefore, prove psychologically destructive. She warns that the kind of playful…

Boredom has traditionally been associated with a range of negative outcomes, both within the workplace and outside it. More recently, however, it has been suggested that boredom can have positive outcomes, one of which might be increased creativity. This study addressed this proposition by examining the relationship between boredom and creative…

Overexcitability is a component in Dabrowski's theory of positive disintegration. This cross-sectional study investigated the psychological profile, including the five overexcitability dimensions (psychomotor, sensual, imaginational, intellectual, emotional), of three talented groups of dancers (n = 84), opera singers (n = 62), and athletes…

This article argues for the idea of different moments in Vygotsky's work while highlighting combinations of ideas and concepts that were particularly emphasized in distinct moments of his work. After Vygotsky's death, these moments were not considered a theoretical system in development, either in former Soviet psychology or in Western…

Millions of children and adults devote much of their leisure time to playing massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs). Most observers commonly categorize computer games as a play activity, but this article asks whether MMORPGs contain activities that might not be play. The author examines the phenomenon of online gaming and…

This study tested participants' preparedness to acknowledge that an object could change as a result of magical intervention. Six- and 9-year-old children and adults treated perceived and imagined objects as being equally permanent. Adults treated a fantastic object as significantly less permanent than either perceived or imagined objects. Results…

In this paper I shall describe the psychotherapeutic treatment of a 14-year-old boy, who suffered from mild Asperger's syndrome. This adolescent had a multiplicity of imaginary friends, which protected him from catastrophic feelings of loneliness and deadness, but at the same time interfered with the possibility of establishing meaningful…

Fantasy activity has long been recognized as a normal psychological process that individuals use to deal with emotions, goals, and beliefs. This article explores the development of fantasy activity as a part of career development, reviews relevant research, and cites examples of the use and implementation of fantasy. (Author)

Using the Imaginal Processes Inventory, aspects of daydreaming and related mental activity were examined in a replication sample of males aged 17 to 91 years. The characteristics of daydreaming obtained in an original sample were obtained in the replication sample, thus supporting the outcomes reported earlier. (Author)

This study compared 40 high-frequency and 40 low-frequency daydreamers from a group of hearing-impaired college students. The study analyzed daydreaming frequency, where daydreaming takes place, central characters in daydreams, continuity of daydream themes, time tense of daydreams, existence of an imaginary companion as a child, discussion of…

Suggests that creating from and sharing dreams is an effective way to develop language skills, individuality, understanding, and rapport in elementary classrooms. Provides an index of dream topics that a group of elementary students reported. (RL)

This workshop module is designed to train teachers to use fantasy techniques as a means of strengthening their students' nonsexist behaviors. Workshop activities include a discussion on the rationale for using daydreams to modify behavior and attitudes and the exploration of the experience of a guided daydream. Guidelines are provided for teachers…