The evolutionary functions of imagination and fiction and how they may contribute to psychological wellbeing during a pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread social disruption and lockdowns, with negative consequences for psychological wellbeing worldwide. We argue that imaginative-narrative simulation - the mental simulation of events, sourced from memory and fiction, brought together through narrative - may have had substantial positive contributions to psychological wellbeing during restrictions of the pandemic. In particular, we propose that this simulation is a tool to support (i) planning and future thought, (ii) coping and emotion regulation, (iii) bonding and social needs, and (iv) identity and worldviews. We suggest that these functions can contribute to coping during the pandemic restrictions, though we also address potential maladaptive effects of the functions on psychological wellbeing, such as rumination. We put forward our framework, include relevant research on the evolutionary functions of simulation through imagination and fiction, and review relevant studies of the effects of imagination and fiction on psychological wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. In light of previous research and the negative psychological effects of COVID-19 disruptions and lockdowns, we suggest that there is much scope for future directions on this topic.