Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 1997 Dec;68(6):991-1011.

Thinking about fantasy: are children fundamentally different thinkers and believers from adults?

J D Woolley  1
Affiliations
  • PMID: 9418217
Review

Thinking about fantasy: are children fundamentally different thinkers and believers from adults?

J D Woolley. Child Dev. 1997 Dec.

Abstract

Young children are often viewed as being unable to differentiate fantasy from reality. This article reviews research on both children's and adults' beliefs about fantasy as well as their tendency to engage in what is thought of as "magical thinking." It is suggested that children are not fundamentally different from adults in their ability to distinguish fantasy from reality: Both children and adults entertain fantastical beliefs and also engage in magical thinking. Suggestions are offered as to how children and adults may differ in this domain, and an agenda for future research is offered.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment in

Publication types