| Show Keeping Up k 7 O Oci Ii ci n 1 erv e Science Service Service Maybe Mediums Do Hear V Voices o ces After l All Says Science Delusions Are Hangovers From Childhood Fancies Lewisburg Pa Those Those mediums mediums mediums me me- who are not frauds but genuinely believe that they hear the voices of spirits spirits spirits spir spir- its may be the victims of the common childish of an imaginary companion Dr Philip L. L Harriman of Bucknell university here suggests in a report to the thc American Journal of Ortho- Ortho psychia psychiatry try About a third of at the children between between between be be- tween three and eight or nine years of ot age enjoy the company of such imaginary companions excellent descriptions descriptions descriptions de de- de- de of which appear In the I novel Anthony Adverse and Milnes Milne's Binker Dr Harriman says More older persons indulge in this than has hitherto been suspected Real playmates usually cause the gradual disappearance of these phantom associates but occasionally occasional occasional- ly they go with the child through high school and even into adult l life e. e Students Student's Romantic Companion Among college students who reported reported reported re re- re- re ported long continuation of the companion some had created created created cre cre- an Individual of the hero type with whom they competed in hi athletic athletic athletic ath ath- letic sports or in class or extra cur extracurricular extracurricular extracurricular activity Another man mm student reports that his imaginary companion came into existence when he was twelve or thirteen said Dr Harriman The companion was a beautiful girl with a romantic name of Marie Van Arsdale At fourteen years of age he saw Sari Maritza in the motion motion motion mo mo- tion pictures and then forsook Marie for her He made believe that he rescued Sari Sad from savages and then he built a stone fortress for her This edifice still stands on a wooded knoll behind his home a monument monument monument ment to an adolescent May Indicate Creative Ability Somewhat concerned by teachers teachers' teachers teachers' teachers teachers' teach teach- ers' ers reports of inattention in high school his parents presented him with an automobile This new possession possession possession pos pos- session opened up interests in the world of ot reality and he ceased to divert himself with an Imaginary loved one Since the students who reported clinging to such imaginary companions companions companions compan compan- ions were all superior in college English it is tempting to conjecture a relationship between such imaginative imaginative imaginative imag imag- play and creative ability in writing Dr Harriman suggests No little Inspiration for narrative prose and poetry may come from the dalliance dalliance dalliance dal dal- liance with an imaginary associate he says In none of the individuals who supplied data for this fuis report was there the slightest evidence that fuat any evident harm had resulted from U this s declared Dr Harriman |
