Why do people have imaginary friends?

Answer 1

First of all usually it is harmless fun. I hasten to add the play and movie (Harvey) was intended for adults, and it was obvious the human ( Elwood if I recall the name, was mentally ill and an alcoholic). Kids want to hone and polish their newly acquired speaking and singing powers ( I am speaking of kids here) and this is one way to do it. Some classroom practices might even encourage it as having one actor play more than one role in a classroom play. Sometimes things get out of hand, as inanimate objects can get (personified). Okay, I knew a guy in high school who used to engage in two way conversations with his Book Bag (Joe). Joe was the book bag. He would be getting on a bus- and would intone, We"re getting on the bus now, Joe. at times he would have a two way conversation going with Joe, he did not voice Joe"s part. Somebody thought he might have had a pet hidden in the bag, but he did not. The guy was, well mentally .... oddd! It would make more sense if it was an object that at least was or portrayed, someting alive- like a stuffed animal toy. but here is a guy in his middle teens talking a two-way patter with his Bookbag!

Answer 2

Loneliness or the need for a love object. Idolatry of famous movie actresses by males is a more mature, but related category- of course the big payoff , often an elusive horizon, is actually meeting , say, The Big L. so it goes