The Psychology of Imagination: History, Theory and New Research Horizons

This book offers a new approach to imagination which brings its emotional, social, cultural, contextual and existential characteristics to the fore. Fantasy and imagination are understood as the human capacity to distance oneself from the here—and—now situation in order to return to it with new possibilities. To do this we use social—cultural means (e.g. language, stories, art, images, etc.) to conceive of imaginary scenarios, some of which may become real.

Imagination is involved in every s...