Play and playfulness across species and environments
- Submission status
- Open
- Submission deadline
Play can be defined as spontaneous, repeated behavior without any obvious function that is performed in a low-stress setting. While play behaviors may be similar to functional behaviors like fighting or hunting, they differ in their context or structure. Play may be solitary or social, depending on the species and context. Aside from humans, many animals engage in play. Though it is most widely observed in mammals, potential examples of play have also been documented in birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, cephalopods, and even insects. In humans, play is critical to the development of motor, cognitive, language, emotional, and social skills. Playfulness as a personality trait varies across individuals and has been linked in humans to wellbeing and psychological resourcefulness. Individual playfulness may also be used as a measure of welfare in animals.
This Collection will bring together primary research articles on all aspects of play and playfulness, including their neurological basis, evolutionary history, developmental patterns, and functional benefits.
Editors
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Giada Cordoni
University of Torino, Italy
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Fanli Jia
Seton Hall University, USA
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René Proyer
Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany
