The evolutionary functions of imaginative-narrative simulation and how they may contribute to psychological wellbeing

What are the evolutionary functions of imaginative-narrative simulation as evident in fiction and other expressions of imagination, and how do they influence psychological wellbeing? We propose an integrative and multifunctional framework for understanding imaginative-narrative simulation—the mental, imaginative simulation of events, sourced from memory and fiction, and structured through narrative—as a key adaptive capacity. Drawing from evolutionary psychology, cognitive science, and media studies, we identify four core functions of this capacity: functions that support (i) planning and future thought, (ii) coping and emotion regulation, (iii) bonding and social needs, and (iv) identity and worldviews. We argue that these functions can importantly support psychological wellbeing, and we review a range of empirical studies that have investigated imagination, fiction, and psychological wellbeing during the lockdown restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic that speak to these effects. We suggest that despite its potential, there is a significant gap in the literature on the adaptive value of imagination and fiction, especially in the context of global crises, and offer concrete directions for future empirical work.