PSYCHOLOGY

Learning To Imagine: The Science of Discovering New Possibilities

by Andrew Shtulman
Harvard Univ. Nov. 2023. 352p. ISBN 9780674248175. $35. PSYCH
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In this work, Shtulman (psychology, Occidental Coll.; Scienceblind) examines the mechanisms of imagination in children. Pushing against the popular concept that children are endlessly imaginative, Shtulman argues that the child’s imagination has a limit, perhaps an unpopular argument for many readers to entertain, especially if one considers the many things that young children may not fully comprehend or fathom. The book, however, draws heavily on studies from the author’s lab in which this assertion is tested in various ways. His findings indicate that imaginations grow and develop as people do. Shtulman argues that one’s imagination can be expanded by using technological advances, moral principles, models and examples, pretense, and, of course, additional information.
VERDICT The best news in this book is that imagination never expires; the key is to cultivate it. For academic libraries where titles about psychology and creativity are popular.
Reviewed by Amber Gray , Oct 01, 2023
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