play

Question 1

definition of play

Answer 1

• no obvious benefits/function
  
  • purposeless
  • doesn’t appear to contribute to immediate fitness
• appearance & timing is modified from behaviors performed by adults
  
  • exaggerated
  • disordering of sequences
  • repitition of motor acts
• performed out of context (under safer conditions)

Question 2

play behavior

Answer 2

• Includes elements of “functional” behavior
  
  • Fleeing, fighting, sexual, or predatory behavior
• expressed in the absence of fitness threat
  
  • food/water
  • shelter from harsh envir
  • free from predators
  • no injury/illness

Question 3

purpose of play from research perspective

Answer 3

young can develop & learn physical, social, & cognitive skills to prepare for adulthood

Question 4

types of play

Answer 4

• social play
• object play
• solitary/locomotor play

Question 5

social play

Answer 5

when play activity involves another living being

• aka ‘rough-and-tumble’ play
• reciprocal tactile contact, chasing, interactive
• display of play markers
  
  • displayed immediately before & all throughout ➔ constant check in to show playful
  • communicate that behaviors produced are NOT serious ➔ true communication
  • predominantly visual: benefits b/c speed of transmission
  • ex: Australian magpie “bouncy” gait
  • ex: Gelada monkeys play face (full or partial teeth)
  • ex: Play-bow in Canis (dogs, wolves, foxes)

skills gained:

• social etiquette: learn social rules/ norms for interactions in group
• self-assessment: learn to evaluate yourself against others
  
  • size/strength
  • skill level
• locomotor/physical:
  
  • strength & coordination, especially for species-specific behaviors (e.g. mounting, fighting)
  • neuro-anatomical development (connections in brain)

Question 6

object play

Answer 6

when play activity involves an inanimate object

• involves physical manipulation of inanimate items such as twigs, rocks, or other moveable pieces in an animal’s environment
• using of mouth or limbs for biting, sniffing, pushing, kicking, licking, and chewing objects

skills gained:

• locomotor/physical: coordinate grasping, pushing, mouthing skills
• environmental information:
  
  • harmful?
  • beneficial?
  • useful?
  • moveable?

Question 7

solitary/locomotor play

Answer 7

when play involves exaggerated movements for no reason without another living being

• sporadic: spark of energy & sudden stops (e.g. zoomies)
• isolated, sudden, spontaneous, & brief movement (e.g scampering or leaping)
• loose body tone
• repetition
• can be interrupted (would not stop if actually running from predator)
• displayed more often in species that live in unstable envir
  
  • lots of stimulation (quick smells, sites, sounds) ➔ must be able to process info rapidly for survival

skills gained:

• locomotor/physical:
  
  • develop & improve limb coordination
  • behavioral flexibility
  • gaining experience w/ patterns of behavior that are reliable for survival

Question 7

factors affecting play

Answer 7

• domestication
  
  • neoteny = retention of juvenile traits
  • expressing juvenile behavior & physical behaviors/traits as byproduct of domestication
  • dogs = more playful than wolves in freq & duration & play unseen in adults
  • play does not prepare animal for survival for domestic animals ➔ relaxed selection in captivity
• trade-offs
  
  • Play behavior declines or disappears when there are more advantageous based on fitness
    
    • ex: wolves & harbor seals ↓ solitary & social play during mating compared to non-mating periods & wolves during feeding compared to non-feeding situations
  • illness, hunger, & pain ↓ play
  • trade-offs must be made in terms of energy budget
  • play = active, interactive = costly ➔ energy must go towards healing
• food:
  
  • ex: wild rhesus macaques↓ play during food shortage
  • ex: fawns ↓ play when given less milk close to weaning
  • conserving stores in time of hunger
  • Play increased with food supplement
    
    • ex: free-ranging meerkats > 2x ↑ rate of play during Experimental food supplementation compared to non-provisioned controls

Question 8

updated hypothesis for fx of play

Answer 8

training for the unexpected:

*↑ versatility of movements used to recover (e.g. balance etc.)
*enhance mental ability to deal with challenges