CHILDREN CONSTRUCTING SOCIAL-REALITY - A FRAME ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL PRETEND PLAY

Social pretend play is interpreted as children's spontaneous co-constr uction of shared realities, and theoretical questions about the qualit y and varieties of these realities are raised. The discourse of three girls (ages 4:9 to 5:11) during an entire play session was coded in te rms of its sense and reference and was analyzed as an instance of Goff man's concept of social frames. In contrast to the usual pretend-reali ty dichotomy, this analysis specified 13 reality modes, from deeply en grossed play action to nonplay interaction. The interweaving of the di fferent modes carried the in-frame play theme to completion, even as p ersonal concerns continually impelled the children's interactions part ly or fully out-of-frame. From a constructivist developmental perspect ive, a theoretical view is advanced regarding the society-instituting function of pretend play.