Current Perspectives on the Biological Study of Play: Signs of Progress
Abstract
There has been a recent resurgence of interest in the study of play behavior, marked by much empirical research and theoretical review. These efforts suggest that play may be of greater biological significance than most scientists realize. Here we present a brief synopsis of current play research covering issues of adaptive function, phylogeny, causal mechanisms, and development. Our goal is to selectively highlight contemporary areas of research in which the underlying processes and consequences of play should not be ignored. We elucidate some of the new and burgeoning areas of play research and interpret them from an integrative biological theoretical perspective that highlights areas in need of further experimental, comparative, and field research.
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Social play is thought to contribute to the development of brain and behaviour.
“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 Graham and Burghardt 2010
Cites
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Burghardt, G. M. (2005) · doi:10.7551/mitpress/3229.001.0001 · Cited by 1,094 · see citing works
Self-citationRough-and-Tumble Play and the Development of the Social Brain
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Exploration, play and habituation in octopuses (Octopus dofleini)
Mather, J. A., & Anderson, R. C. (1999) · Journal of Comparative Psychology · doi:10.1037/0735-7036.113.3.333 · Cited by 161 · see citing works
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The neurobiology of social play and its rewarding value in rats
Vanderschuren, L. J. M. J., Achterberg, E. J. M., & Trezza, V. (2016) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.07.025 · Cited by 329 · see citing works
Vanderschuren, L. J. M. J., & Trezza, V. (2013) · Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences · doi:10.1007/978-3-662-45758-0_268 · Cited by 200 · see citing works
Disrupted social development enhances the motivation for cocaine in rats
Baarendse, P. J. J., Limpens, J. H. W., & Vanderschuren, L. J. M. J. (2014) · Psychopharmacology · doi:10.1007/s00213-013-3362-8 · Cited by 87 · see citing works
Cellular activation in limbic brain systems during social play behaviour in rats
van Kerkhof, L. W. M., Trezza, V., Mulder, T., Gao, P., Voorn, P., & Vanderschuren, L. J. M. J. (2013) · Brain Structure and Function · doi:10.1007/s00429-013-0558-y · Cited by 83 · see citing works
Characterization of juvenile play in rats: importance of sex of self and sex of partner
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Self-citationAchterberg, E. J. M., van Kerkhof, L. W. M., Damsteegt, R., Trezza, V., & Vanderschuren, L. J. M. J. (2015) · The Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.2945-14.2015 · Cited by 58 · see citing works
The neurobiology of social play behaviour: Past, present and future
Achterberg, E. J. M., & Vanderschuren, L. J. M. J. (2023) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105319 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
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Play matters: the surprising relationship between juvenile playfulness and anxiety in later life
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Play in Rats: Association across Contexts and Types, and Analysis of Structure
Melotti, L., Bailoo, J., Murphy, E., Burman, O., & Wurbel, H. (2014) · Animal Behavior and Cognition · doi:10.12966/abc.11.06.2014 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Neurexin1α knockout in rats causes aberrant social behaviour: relevance for autism and schizophrenia
Achterberg, E. J. M., Biemans, B., & Vanderschuren, L. J. M. J. (2025) · Psychopharmacology · doi:10.1007/s00213-024-06559-z · Cited by 9 · see citing works
“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).”
- Authors
- Graham, K. L., & Burghardt, G. M.
- Affiliations
- Texas State University (US)
- ORCID
- Burghardt, Gordon M.
- Venue
- The Quarterly Review of Biology
- Publisher
- University of Chicago Press
- Published
- 2010-12
- Volume
- 85
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 393-418
- ISSN
- 0033-5770 (ISSN-L)
- 1539-7718
- OpenAlex
- W2107111972
- Cited by
- 229
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 24 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 22 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 3.40
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Quarterly Review of Biology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
- Keywords
- play behavior, play development, comparative animal behavior
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Age Factors, Animals, Behavior, Behavior, Animal, Biomechanical Phenomena, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Motor Skills, Play and Playthings, Sex Factors, Growth and Development
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