CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO INDIVIDUAL
DIFFERENCES IN PRETEND PLAY
Basically two approaches have been used to examine the possible factors that result in and maintain differences in pretend play. Investigators have attempted to train children in imaginative play under the assumption that those aspects of training that improved imaginativeness might also be predicted to be responsible for its naturalistic development. Many of these studies, operating from an intervention strategy, focused on group differences, for example, across social class. The other approach has been to examine the individual and environmental correlates of imaginative predisposition.
Improving the Imaginative Play of Children
Smilansky ( 1968) undertook an intervention study with Israeli children, aimed at furthering either general cognitive ability, specific play ability, or both. The group given training only in cognitive skills evidenced no improvement in sociodramatic play; the group trained only in play and the group trained both in play and cognitive skill improved significantly,plus size wedding dresses, but the latter group showed the greatest benefit from the intervention. Improvement occurred in imitative role play, make-believe play in regard to objects, actions, and situations, persistence at tasks, social interaction, and verbal communication. Smilansky concluded that provision for cognitive ability alone will not improve the frequency and quality of children's play, but training in play skills themselves is also necessary -- a finding that agrees with our analysis of fantasy activity in terms of component processes.In another study, training was provided to white South African preschoolers from low SES backgrounds, in the form of unstructured play or structured play with an attention control group and a no intervention control group. Assessments were made before training and one month afterwards. Both play training groups showed significant increases, over the two control groups, in measures of play, divergent thinking, and storytelling, but not in IQ ( Shmukler & Naveh, 1985). Feitelson and Ross ( 1973) examined the influence of tutoring with play materials on the sociodramatic play of 5- to 6-year-old lower middle-class children. The children were divided into four groups:
