What concept is closely linked to children creating imaginary friends?

Creating imaginary friends is a clear reflection of a child's ability to engage in abstract thinking. This developmental stage, typically seen in preschool-aged children, showcases their capacity to form representations of people, experiences, and roles that do not exist in concrete reality. Through imaginative play with these friends, children exercise their creativity, develop language skills, and explore various social situations and emotional scenarios in a safe environment.

This imaginative exercise allows children to engage with complex ideas and concepts about friendship, loyalty, and social norms. It highlights their growing cognitive abilities as they manipulate symbols and ideas, moving beyond the literal interpretations of the world around them. Hence, the concept of abstract thinking is intimately connected to the phenomenon of children having imaginary friends, reflecting their cognitive development and imaginative capabilities.

The other concepts listed, while related to child development, do not directly explain the phenomenon of creating imaginary friends as well as abstract thinking does. For example, emotional regulation is more focused on managing one's emotions, and social interaction is concerned with real relationships rather than imaginary ones. Metacognition involves awareness and understanding of one's own thought processes, which while important, does not specifically address the imaginative play aspect tied to imaginary friends.