Marjorie Taylor's research has focused on the development of imagination and creativity, including studies of young children who invent pretend friends, older children who create imaginary worlds and adult fiction writers who develop relationships with the characters in their novels. She is currently working on the 2nd Edition of Imaginary Companions and the Children Who Create Them.

Dr. Taylor is no longer accepting new students.

Selected Publications:

Taylor, M., Mottweiler, C.M., Aguiar, N.R., Naylor, E.R., & Levernier, J.G. (2018). Paracosms: The imaginary worlds of middle childhood. Child Development, 91, 164-178. doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13162

Taylor, M. (2013). Imagination. In P. Zelazo (Ed.) Oxford Handbook of Child Development: Body and Mind (Vol. 1, pp. 791-831). New York: Oxford University Press.

Taylor, M. (Ed.) (2013). The Oxford Handbook of the Development of Imagination. New York: Oxford University Press.

Taylor, M., & Aguiar, N.R.* (2013). How real is the imaginary? In M. Banaji & S.A. Gelman (Eds.) Navigating the social world: What infants, children, and other species can teach us (pp. 113-116). New York: Oxford University Press.

Taylor, M. (1999). Imaginary companions and the children who create them. New York: Oxford University Press.