Cited by 0Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorPrimate Behavior and EcologyAnimal Behavior and Welfare Studies

Evaluating the play fighting of rats: A sociological perspective

Open access
Ham, Jackson R., Pellis, Sergio M., Pellis, Vivien C., Achterberg, E.J. Marijke·2026·Journal of Neuroscience Methods

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Play fighting is a prominent social behavior in juvenile rats and is widely used to assess social motivation, affect, and neurobiological function. Traditional dyadic paradigms quantify how much play occurs and how it is expressed but provide limited insight into how rats select play partners. NEW METHOD: We synthesize evidence from group-based paradigms that allow animals to choose among multiple partners and highlight analytical approaches-including social network analysis and machine-learning-based tracking-that enable quantification of partner selection and group dynamics. RESULTS: Across studies, rats do not distribute play randomly but show apparent partner preferences influenced by familiarity, strain, sex, dominance, and group composition. These preferences reveal socially relevant effects of experimental manipulations that are often undetected by conventional measures. Substantial individual variation exists in both selectivity and attractiveness as play partners. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS: Compared to dyadic testing, group-based paradigms uncover a sociological dimension of play behavior, revealing effects that may be masked when animals are restricted to a single partner. Dyadic tests remain useful for assessing play microstructure but may underestimate changes in social decision-making. CONCLUSIONS: Assessing not only how rats play, but with whom they choose to play, is essential for understanding the regulation of social play. Integrating group-based paradigms with emerging analytical tools provides a more comprehensive framework for studying the neurobiology of social behavior.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2026.110836

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Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. Ham, J.R. (2025). Going beyond the dyad: The dynamics of social play and brain development [Doctoral dissertation, University of Lethbridge]. 〈https://hdl.handle.net/10133/7137〉.
  2. Ham, J.R., Jaiswal, D., Achterberg, E.J.M., & Pellis, S.M. (in press). (n.d.)Partner preference strength is not influenced by how motivated juvenile male rats are to engage in play fighting. Animal Behavior and Cognition.
  3. Waner-Mariquito, R. (2025). How domestication and selective breeding changed the cerebellar anatomy and play partner preference in rats (Rattus norvegicus) [MSc Thesis, University of Lethbridge]. 〈https://opus.uleth.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/da057ee3-b83d-4b89-b6c6-e469f338ded2/content〉.

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Authors
Ham, J. R., Pellis, S. M., Pellis, V. C., & Achterberg, E. J. M.
Affiliations
  • University of Lethbridge (CA)
  • Utrecht University (NL)
Corresponding author
Ham, Jackson R.
Venue
Journal of Neuroscience Methods
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2026-10
Volume
434
Pages
110836
ISSN
0165-0270 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W7165409142
Cited by
0
References
112
FWCI
0.00
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Neuroscience Methods (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Utrecht University Repository (Utrecht University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
  • Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
Keywords
play fighting, rats, mate choice, social play, social network analysis, social decision-making, familiarity, dominance, sex differences, interindividual variability, neurobiology of social behavior
MeSH terms
Aggression, Animals, Behavior, Animal, Female, Male, Play and Playthings, Social Behavior, Rats

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