Social Coordination During Pretend Play: Comparisons With Nonpretend Play and Effects on Expressive Content

The role of pretend play interactions in stimulating social and emotional competence was examined by comparing the quality of pretend and nonpretend social play. The relation between social involvement in pretense and the expression of psychosocial issues was also assessed. The 24 4- and 6-year-old girls, each paired with a familiar peer, were observed in two videotaped 30-min free-play sessions. As expected, pretend play sequences involved more complex, mutually responsive, and emotionally invested social interaction than nonpretend sequences. Furthermore, expression of psychosocial issues within pretense was fostered by engagement in highly coordinated as opposed to less socially involved pretend play. Results are discussed in terms of the socioaffective and emotional mastery skills enhanced by coordinated pretense in the transition from preschool to school age.