Positive Correlates of Fantasy Engagement Among Self-Described Geeks

Fantasy has been broadly defined as a suspension of reality and the inclusion of imaginary states (Plante,, Reysen, Groves, Roberts, & Gerbasi, 2017). Fantasy engagement, where an individual participates in lifestyles and/or activities that suspend reality, has been extended to the construct of fantasy proneness, in which individuals are described to have excessive daydreaming and fantasizing (Merckelbach, Horselenberg, & Muris, 2001). The purpose of the study was to assess the potential benefits of fantasy proneness, including overall well-being and social support. Potential benefits of fantasy proneness were examined as to whether they predict higher levels of fantasy engagement above and beyond negative mental health variables. Thesis Mentor:________________________ Dr. Brandon J. Weiss Honors Director:_______________________ Dr. Steven Engel April 2020 Department of Psychology University Honors Program Georgia Southern University FANTASY ENGAGEMENT 2 Positive Correlates of Fantasy Engagement Among Self-Described Geeks Fantasy is a broad term that can describe anything involving a suspension of reality in favor of an imaginary state. Fantasy has been explored in some studies through levels of engagement in activities to the frequency and vividness of daydreams. While exploring the effects of fantasy on individuals, we must gain a better understanding of fantasy engagement as a generalized concept as well as aspects within the study of fantasy. We must also examine why some individuals are more likely to fantasize than others and if these fantasizing individuals experience any significant benefits. Fantasy Proneness (FP) is a concept developed to describe excessive daydreaming and fantasizing and those in this group were labeled “fantasizers”. These fantasizers exhibit deep involvement with fantasy. It has been previously linked to psychopathology, mood disorders like depression, anxiety, and childhood trauma. There are also correlations with absorption, schizotpy, and disassociation. FP and fantasy engagement are both important aspects of the field of fantasy and describe how an individual fits into the area of fantasy based on their likelihood to fantasize and have vivid daydreams and the likelihood that the individual would engage in activities, interests, or lifestyles that suspend reality (fantasy engagement). Fantasy engagement, as well as FP, is seldom mentioned with potential benefits or well-being. This study will aim to examine possible connections between aspects of fantasy and well-being of fantasizing adults with a focus on individuals classified as “geeks”. Negative and Positive Correlates of Fantasy Proneness and Engagement FANTASY ENGAGEMENT 3 To explore more on fantasy, it is important to recognize factors that can predict the likelihood of an individual being prone to engaging with fantasy. Pekala, Angelini, and Kumar (2001) discuss the link between dissociation and FP. Throughout the study, both FP and child abuse are found to be important to the etiology of dissociative disorders. The study subjects were 77 males from a VA Medical Center. The subjects were given the DES, ICMI, and CAT to examine dissociative symptoms, FP, and assess the frequency and extent of negative childhood experiences. A regression analysis was used to predict disassociation using the CAT subscales and the ICMI. The results suggested FP was somewhat more important than the CAT subscales of inappropriate punishment and neglect, when predicting dissociative symptoms. FP being involved as a factor of the etiology of disassociation could therefore be a predictor of the diagnosis. This could also mean that the reverse would be assumed that an individual with dissociative symptoms could potentially experience FP. Rauschenberger and Lynn (1995) also discuss that fantasizers have more dissociative experiences and symptoms and are associated with significant psychopathology. Experiences with dissociation could predict the increased involvement in fantasy engagement through FP. Pekala, Angelini, and Kumar (2001) also discuss another factor of fantasizers relating to the creation and recall of memories. It is found that fantasizers tend to confuse memories of fantasies with memories of actual events. Tan, Fletcher, and Russell (2019) also commented on this relation as they found that fantasy prone individuals are more likely to develop and accept pseudomemories, specifically with generation of false memories and not failure of memory. Pseudomemory is a term used to describe the creation or alteration of real memories with fictional ones of hallucinatory intensity. This FANTASY ENGAGEMENT 4 could be a key part in recognizing the difference in the extremes of FP and the more generalized fantasy engagement as FP fantasizers will have difficulties in distinguishing between fantasy and reality. The boundaries between fantasy and reality would be blurred and skewed in an individual experiencing FP and goes beyond engagement to fully accepting fantasy as a real event or experience rather than an activity or interest. When examining how FP crosses boundaries between reality and fantasy, there is a connection to the aspect of psychosis known as delusions. Tan, Fletcher, and Rossell (2019) explain that delusions are a significant and distressing aspect of psychosis and have adverse consequences for functioning and well-being. Delusions are also briefly stated to be decidedly implausible beliefs. People experiencing delusions will hold to their implausible beliefs, despite being contradicted. The study examined 95 outpatients with current psychosis on stable doses of antipsychotic medication. 46 healthy control units were recruited from the local community. The participants were assessed on psychotic symptomatology, mania and depression severity, and FP by using the ICMI. After this study, it was found that there was a positive correlation between FP and delusion severity. Tan, Fletcher, and Rossell (2019) also examine how FP demonstrates an association with higher levels of disassociation, depression, and personality disorders. Patients in this study that had psychosis demonstrated significantly greater FP than in healthy controls. This shows a correlation between psychosis and FP. It’s also important to note that FP also predicted the presence of delusional beliefs in the healthy control group. The study goes on to suggest the possibility of underlying cognitive deficits underlie both FP and delusions which may serve to show that delusions and FP are not predictors of one another, but branch from the same cognitions and facilitate each other. FANTASY ENGAGEMENT 5 As delusions arise, the individual may attempt to rationalize the hallucinations and increased FP could increase propensity towards the imaginative ideas and create an internal bias to fantasize that supports the role of delusions manifesting. However, FP’s relation to cognition has not been clarified fully in this study. This study expresses the limitation that the relationship between FP and delusions have yet to be fully examined. Greenwald and Harder (1995) discuss the possibility that those engaging in fantasy do so because of the presence of psychological stress presenting a greater need to manage distress. In this view, FP becomes a by-product or factor of other psychological issues rather than FP being its own concept. Stressors such as anxiety or trauma-related disorders could predict involvement in fantasy as a coping method and way to avoid psychological stress. This avoidance or escapism could predict the ability for a fantasizer to become lost in fantasy in favor of recognizing the causes of stress. Because FP is being used as a coping method or is present as a factor derived from undergoing stress, psychological stress can predict to engagement in fantasy and proneness to believing in fantasy in order to escape real situations and feelings. In assessing fantasizers’ personalities, Rauschenberger and Lynn (1995) discuss the prevalence of personality disorders within the FP population and found that FP students reported more symptoms of personality disorders such as paranoia, hysteria, borderline. This report was in comparison to those that scored in the medium FP range based on the ICMI. There isn’t much other correlation specifically with personality and FP in research, which limits the ability to form a connection. However, McCain, Gentile, and Campbell (2015) also briefly discuss a possible connection with FP and personality disorders and traits. The study discussed the possibility of narcissism playing a role in the FANTASY ENGAGEMENT 6 need to engage in fantasy to provide an easy way to achieve goals or become a more perfect version of the self through creating personas in fantasy or achieving recognition through fantasy activities. While not specifically addressing narcissism as a personality disorder in the study, this shows a possible correlation with personality traits and fantasy. When examining factors that may lead to FP, there has been a correlation with some aspects of trauma, specifically during childhood. Rauschenberger and Lynn (1995) discuss how aversive early life experiences, such as abuse, has been suggested to be present in fantasy-prone individuals in previous studies, however there aren’t enough resources devoted to examining the full effect and differences with abuse in fantasyprone individuals including comparisons with non-fantasizers. The study also explains how there could be two childhood development pathways relating to FP where the fantasizer is either encouraged to fantasize from a significant adult or they fantasize as a way to escape from an aversive environment and ease their loneliness or isolation. Examples being an adult such as a parent or an important figure to the fantasizer encourages involvement with fantasy activities or, in contrast, the adult negatively viewing fantasy activities and subsequently creating an aversive