ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on problems associated with the definition of pretense, the concept of context, and the study of pretense in relation to language. With respect to pretense, the problem of behavioral classification and labeling is nicely illustrated in two recent studies of play during the second year of life. Piaget's notion that pretend behavior marks the beginning of representational thinking and the emergence of the semiotic function have led investigators to examine the relation of pretend behavior to language and cognitive development. A central purpose of this paper is to describe several observations that touch some of the dilemmas encountered in studying the pretense of young children. Context as social history is peculiarly troublesome in psychological research. One gets the impression from watching the pretense of American children that most parents serve meals, put children to bed, or go shopping in pretty much the same way.
