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The development of the counterfactual imagination

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 March 2008

Jennifer Van Reet ,
Ashley M. Pinkham  and
Angeline S. Lillard
Jennifer Van Reet
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904. vanreet@virginia.eduapinkham@virginia.edulillard@virginia.eduhttp://people.virginia.edu/~jlv2t/http://people.virginia.edu/~asl2h/
Ashley M. Pinkham
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904. vanreet@virginia.eduapinkham@virginia.edulillard@virginia.eduhttp://people.virginia.edu/~jlv2t/http://people.virginia.edu/~asl2h/
Angeline S. Lillard
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904. vanreet@virginia.eduapinkham@virginia.edulillard@virginia.eduhttp://people.virginia.edu/~jlv2t/http://people.virginia.edu/~asl2h/
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Abstract

How the rational imagination develops remains an open question. The ability to imagine emerges early in childhood, well before the ability to reason counterfactually, and this suggests that imaginative thought may facilitate later counterfactual ability. In addition, developmental data indicate that inhibitory control may also play a role in the ability to reason counterfactually.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 30 , Issue 5-6 , December 2007 , pp. 468
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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