16. Play behaviour

Question 1

Play

Answer 1

a range of voluntary and internally motivated activities (spontaneous actions), normally associated with enjoyment and recreational pleasure, which aren’t usually related with a direct and immediate increase of survival (or fitness) of the organism.

Question 2

Seasonality and play behaviour

Answer 2

Play behaviour as measure of environmental stress.

Question 3

Object play

Answer 3

Involves the use of inanimate objects such as sticks, rocks, leaves, feathers, fruit, and human-provided objects, and the pushing, throwing, tearing, or manipulating of such objects.

Question 4

Locomotor play

Answer 4

including exercise play (running, climbing, etc.), involves large body activity and is generally thought to support physical training of muscles, for strength, endurance, and skill.

Question 5

Play markers

Answer 5

how to reliably identify and quantify play behaviour

Question 6

In role reversal and self-handicapping

Answer 6

older individuals either allow subordinate younger animals to act as if they are dominant during play, or the older animals perform some act (for example, an aggressive act) at a level clearly below that of which they are capable.