All Episodes

February 23, 2025 57 mins

We delve into the world of imaginary friends with esteemed experts, Professor Marjorie Taylor and Dr. Naomi R. Aguiar in light of the second edition of Imaginary Friends and the People Who Create Them (Second Edition).

Professor Taylor, a leading researcher and author of the acclaimed book Imaginary Friends and the Children Who Create Them, shares her extensive insights into how these companions contribute to child development. Professor Taylor is a developmental psychologist (Ph.D., Stanford University) who is currently Professor of Psychology at the University of Oregon. 

Dr. Aguiar, a child psychologist with years of experience studying the role of fantasy in psychological growth, brings her perspective to the discussion. Naomi holds a doctorate in Psychology from the University of Oregon and currently serves as the Associate Director of Research at Oregon State University Ecampus. 

Join us as they explore the psychological benefits of imaginary friends, including enhanced creativity and emotional intelligence. We’ll address common misconceptions surrounding these companions, highlighting their role in helping children navigate social interactions and emotional challenges. With engaging anecdotes and insights from their experiences, our guests reveal the profound impact of these imaginary relationships on children’s lives. Tune in for a captivating conversation that redefines what it means to have an imaginary friend!


https://cas.uoregon.edu/directory/psychology/all/mtaylor 

https://naomiaguiar.wixsite.com/research 



Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know
Dateline NBC

Dateline NBC

Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.