Imaginary friends, also known as "imaginary companions", are pretend characters often created door children. Imaginary vrienden often function as tutelaries (or perform a tutelary function) when they are engaged door the child in play activity. Imaginary vrienden may exist for the child into adolescence and sometimes adulthood. Imaginary vrienden often have elaborate personalities and behaviors. Although they may seem very real to their creators, studies have shown that children understand that their imaginary vrienden are not real.
