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Cited by 20Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorPrimate Behavior and EcologyChild and Animal Learning Development

When the individual comes into play: The role of self and the partner in the dyadic play fighting of rats

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Achterberg, E.J.M., Burke, C.J., Pellis, S.M.·2023·Behavioural Processes
DOI 10.1016/j.beproc.2023.104933
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Abstract

Social play in rats is rewarding and important for the development of brain and social skills. There are differences in the amount of play behavior displayed among individuals, with earlier studies suggesting that, despite variation across trials, individual differences tend to be consistent. In the present study, juvenile Lister-hooded rats were paired with a different, unfamiliar same-sex partner on three days and based on the amount of play each individual initiated, it was characterized as a high, medium or low player. Using this categorization, we explored three features related to individual differences. First, we show that by increasing the number of test days from two, as was done in a previous study (Lesscher et al., 2021), to three, characterization was effectively improved. Secondly, while the earlier study only used males, the present study showed that both sexes exhibit a similar pattern of individual differences in the degree of playfulness. Even though low players consistently initiated less play than medium and high players, all rats varied in how much play they initiated from one trial to the next. Thirdly, we assessed two potential mechanisms by which the playfulness of one rat can modify the level of playfulness of the other rat (i.e., emotional contagion vs homeostasis). Analyses of individuals' contribution to the play of dyads suggest that rats consistently adjust their play behavior depending on the behavior displayed by the partner. Since this adjustment can be positive or negative, our data support a homeostatic mechanism, whereby individuals increase or decrease the amount of play they initiate, which results in the experience of an overall stable pattern of play across trials. Future research will investigate the neural bases for individual differences in play and how rats maintain a preferred level of play.

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Authors
Achterberg, E. J. M., Burke, C. J., & Pellis, S. M.
Affiliations
  • Utrecht University (NL)
  • University of Lethbridge (CA)
Corresponding author
Achterberg, E.J.M.
ORCID
Venue
Behavioural Processes
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2023-10
Volume
212
Pages
104933
ISSN
0376-6357 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.beproc.2023.104933
OpenAlex
W4386204405
Cited by
20
References
71
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 1
FWCI
5.85
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Behavioural Processes (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Utrecht University Repository (Utrecht University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
Keywords
social play, play fighting, dyadic interaction, emotional contagion, homeostatic regulation, play initiation, Lister hooded rats, young rats, sex differences
MeSH terms
Aggression, Animals, Behavior, Animal, Female, Individuality, Male, Play and Playthings, Social Behavior, Rats

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