The role of make-believe in Foley.

The acts of pretending and make-believe are almost exclusively studied in the context of child development and child psychology. This study was therefore an exploratory investigation of these functions in adulthood. Ten Foley artists were interviewed about the role of pretending and make-believe in their occupation, and the results supported our prediction that adults are capable of, and readily partake in, pretending and make-believe. We discuss the existing literature on pretending and make-believe, the methodological challenges we faced, and our conclusions based on extended quotes from the participants. It is hoped that our identification of ‘professional make-believers’ can instigate further research, and the study of pretending beyond childhood.