26 October 2026 · First online (indexed publication record)
Burak Erdeniz, Bigna Lenggenhager
Consciousness and cognition · Retrospective felt-presence survey
Adults who recalled childhood imaginary companions reported more felt-presence experiences. Recollections also allowed researchers to examine where companions had seemed to be relative to the body.
Method and scope
The survey involved 185 adults, including 45 with an imaginary-companion history, and assessed presence, dissociation, distance and perspective.
What to keep in mind
Childhood locations were recalled retrospectively. Some response options favoured body-referenced perspectives, limiting how strongly those results support the proposed mechanism.
Original paper & source
Read the original source record →
DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2026.104146
Indexed original abstract, citation and linked publication-status metadata reviewed through Europe PMC; full text not assessed. UKPX reference added and checked 7 November 2026. The date above belongs to the paper.