The DOI matches its Crossref record; 104 of the 106 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
The psychobiology of play: Theoretical and methodological perspectives
Abstract
The social play of pairs of juvenile rats can be brought under tight experimental control using social deprivation, and it can be objectively quantified by measurement of pinning behavior. Research and conceptual issues concerning this paired-encounter procedure are summarized, including issues related to measurement, gender differences (and the absence thereof), relations between play and aggression, the regulatory processes interacting with and underlying play, the neurochemical and neuroanatomical substrates of play, the functions of play in dominance and other adult behaviors. Existing results suggest the operation of a harmoniously operating brain process which generates a unique emotive brain process that is appropriately referred to as social play. Although the concept of play remains to be adequately defined, the position is advocated that rigorous psychobiological analysis will ultimately provide an empirical definition based upon neural circuit characteristics. Analysis of the underlying circuits may help reveal the manner in which more complex levels of behavioral competence arise ontogenically, and work in the area may yield clues to the genesis of several psychopathologies.
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In the citing paper
“Given that play is a behavior common in many young mammalian species, including human children, juvenile monkeys and rats, we focused our efforts on quantification of play behaviors [53–55].”
From Behavioral Phenotyping of Juvenile Long-Evans and Sprague-Dawley Rats: Implications for Preclinical Models of Autism Spectrum Disorders (2016) · cites this paper as [55]
In the citing paper
“Alongside its pleasurable properties, social play is thought to contribute to the development of brain and behaviour (Panksepp et al. 1984; Graham and Burghardt 2010; Vanderschuren and Trezza 2014; Pellis et al. 2023).”
From Neurexin1α knockout in rats causes aberrant social behaviour: relevance for autism and schizophrenia (2025) · cites this paper as Panksepp et al. 1984
In the citing paper
“Importantly, during the period when the PFC matures, i.e., in between weaning and early adulthood (Kolb et al., 2012), young animals display an abundance of an energetic form of social behavior known as social play behavior (Panksepp et al., 1984;Vanderschuren et al., 1997;Pellis and Pellis, 2009).”
From Social Play Behavior Is Critical for the Development of Prefrontal Inhibitory Synapses and Cognitive Flexibility in Rats (2022) · cites this paper as Panksepp et al., 1984
Citations
Cites
The Handbook of Social Psychology
Gravatt, A. E., Lindzey, G. E., & Aronson, F. (1969) · The Family Coordinator · doi:10.2307/582242 · Cited by 12,518
Sociobiology: The New Synthesis.
Lenski, G. E., & Wilson, E. O. (1976) · Social Forces · doi:10.2307/2576242 · Cited by 6,271
The psychology of sex differences
Maccoby, E. E. (1975) · Behavior Therapy · doi:10.1016/s0005-7894(75)80031-1 · Cited by 5,714
Sociobiology: The New Synthesis.
van den Berghe, P. L., & Wilson, E. C. (1976) · Contemporary Sociology A Journal of Reviews · doi:10.2307/2063069 · Cited by 2,863
Play and Its Role in the Mental Development of the Child
Vygotsky, L. (1967) · Soviet Psychology · doi:10.2753/rpo1061-040505036 · Cited by 2,757
The Psychology of Sex Differences
Maccoby, E. E., & Jacklin, C. N. (1974) · Stanford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1515/9781503620797 · Cited by 1,301
Neuroleptics and operant behavior: The anhedonia hypothesis
Wise, R. A. (1982) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00010372 · Cited by 1,028
Toward a general psychobiological theory of emotions
Panksepp, J. (1982) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00012759 · Cited by 999
Self-citationFagen, R. M. (1981) · Cited by 860
Autism: A Reappraisal of Concepts and Treatment
Rutter, M. L., & Schopler, E. (1978) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 584
Research works printed but not linked: 7
- Cox, 1984, Dopaminergic substrates of play, Soc Neurosci Abstr, 10, 1177
- Jalowiec, 1980, Opioid control of play and social dominance, Soc Neurosci Abstr, 6, 856
- Normansell, 1984, Play in decorticate rats, Soc Neurosci Abstr, 10, 612
- Panksepp, 1979, The regulation of play: Neurochemical controls, Soc Neurosci Abstr, 5, 172
- Siviy, 1982, Food deprivation, naloxone and play, Soc Neurosci Abstr, 8, 605
- Siviy, 1983, Neuroanatomical substrates of juvenile play in rats, Soc Neurosci Abstr, 9, 535
- Thor, D. H. and W. R. Holloway. Gender and social play in juvenile rats. J Comp Physiol Psychol, in press.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Affective consciousness: core emotional feelings in animals and humans.
Panksepp, J. (2005) · Consciousness and Cognition · doi:10.1016/j.concog.2004.10.004 · Cited by 1,217
Self-citationMale, female: The evolution of human sex differences.
Geary, D. C. (1998) · American Psychological Association eBooks · doi:10.1037/10370-000 · Cited by 981
The Cerebellum, Sensitive Periods, and Autism
Wang, S. S. ‐., Kloth, A. D., & Badura, A. (2014) · Neuron · doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2014.07.016 · Cited by 866
Nelson, E. E., & Panksepp, J. (1998) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/s0149-7634(97)00052-3 · Cited by 688
Self-citationThe neurobiology of positive emotions
Burgdorf, J., & Panksepp, J. (2006) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2005.06.001 · Cited by 677
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Metadata
- Authors
- Panksepp, J., Siviy, S., & Normansell, L.
- Affiliations
- Bowling Green State University (US)
- Venue
- Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 1984-12
- Volume
- 8
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 465-492
- ISSN
- 0149-7634 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2149636831
- Cited by
- 468
- References
- 106
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 23 · 2013: 24 · 2012: 19
- FWCI
- 14.22
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Keywords
- social play, young rats, social deprivation, dominance, gender differences, behavioral regulation, psychopathology
- MeSH terms
- Age Factors, Aggression, Animals, Mental Disorders, Brain, Brain Mapping, Emotions, Endorphins, Biological Evolution, Female, Food Deprivation, Humans, Male, Terminology as Topic, Play and Playthings, Sex Characteristics, Social Behavior, Social Dominance, Rats
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