| Abstract: | Forty‐eight children between the ages 5 and 7 were as part of a standardized interview asked whether they had ever had the impression that they had met a ghost. Twenty‐six children were explicitly told to separate fantasy and reality when answering, whereas the remaining children were not. This instruction significantly reduced the number of alleged encounters with ghosts. It is concluded that children who are asked whether they have been part of events which they regard as fantastical might perceive the rules by which fantasy and reality should be separated as temporarily altered by the interviewer. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
