The DOI matches its Crossref record; 15 of the 16 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Rough-and-Tumble Play and the Development of the Social Brain
Abstract
Social play—that is, play directed toward others—is a readily recognizable feature of childhood. In nonhuman animals, social play, especially seemingly competitive rough-and-tumble play or play fighting, has been the most studied of all forms of play. After several decades of study, researchers of play fighting in laboratory rats have pieced together the rudiments of the neural mechanisms that regulate the expression of this behavior in the mammalian brain. Furthermore, the understanding of the organization, development, and neural control of play in rats has provided a model with which to examine how the experiences accrued during play fighting can lead to organizational changes in the brain, especially those areas involved in social behavior.
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In the citing paper
“ARC plays an important role in plasticity and learning, and rough-and-tumble play behavior has been associated with the development and maturation of neural circuits in the amygdala (33).”
From Puberty Blocker, Leuprolide, Reduces Sex Differences in Rough-and-Tumble Play and Anxiety-like Behavior in Juvenile Rats (2024) · cites this paper as [33]
In the citing paper
“Firstly, like most social mammals, rats exhibit social play, commonly referred to as play-fighting, or rough-and-tumble play (Pellis & Pellis, 2007), which is ideal for comparative research.”
From Play in Rats: Association across Contexts and Types, and Analysis of Structure (2014) · cites this paper as Pellis & Pellis, 2007
In the citing paper
“Laboratory rats display spontaneous play fighting, which seems to have important role in the development of social skills-like coping with aggressive individuals.105,106”
From Ecological validity of social interaction tests in rats and mice (2019) · cites this paper as [105]
Citations
Cites
Affective Neuroscience: The Foundations of Human and Animal Emotions
Panksepp, J. (1998) · doi:10.1093/oso/9780195096736.001.0001 · Cited by 4,428
Diamond, A. D. (2000) · Child Development · doi:10.1111/1467-8624.00117 · Cited by 1,584
The Genesis of Animal Play: Testing the Limits
Burghardt, G. M. (2005) · doi:10.7551/mitpress/3229.001.0001 · Cited by 1,094
The origins of human nature: Evolutionary developmental psychology.
Bjorklund, D. F., & Pellegrini, A. D. (2002) · American Psychological Association eBooks · doi:10.1037/10425-000 · Cited by 542
(1998) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511608575 · Cited by 477
Brief periods of socialization and later behavior in the rat
Einon, D. F., Morgan, M. J., & Kibbler, C. C. (1978) · Developmental Psychobiology · doi:10.1002/dev.420110305 · Cited by 232
Evolution and development of boys' social behavior
Geary, D. C. (2003) · Developmental Review · doi:10.1016/j.dr.2003.08.001 · Cited by 227
Play fighting of rats in comparative perspective: a schema for neurobehavioral analyses
Pellis, S. M., & Pellis, V. C. (1998) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/s0149-7634(97)00071-7 · Cited by 210
Self-citationPellis, S. M., Hastings, E., Shimizu, T., Kamitakahara, H., Komorowska, J., Forgie, M. L., & Kolb, B. (2006) · Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.1037/0735-7044.120.1.72 · Cited by 116
Self-citationVon Frijtag, J. C., Schot, M., van den Bos, R., & Spruijt, B. M. (2002) · Developmental Psychobiology · doi:10.1002/dev.10057 · Cited by 116
Research works printed but not linked: 3
- Pellegrini A.D., 1995, The future of play theory: A multidisciplinary inquiry into the contributions of Brian Sutton-Smith, 107
- Pellis S.M., 2005, Developmental origins of aggression, 47
- Power T.G., 2000, Play and exploration in children and animals
Cited by
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Items 201–225 of 225
McMorris, T., Tomporowski, P. D., & Audiffren, M. F. (2009) · Wiley eBooks · doi:10.1002/9780470740668.refs
Coome, L. A. (2021) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-19650-3_667
Robson, S. J., & Kuhlmeier, V. A. (2017) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-47829-6_1087-1
Coome, L. A. (2017) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_667-1
Shialos, M. (2017) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1073-1
Shialos, M. (2021) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-19650-3_1073
Lahvis, G. P. (2018) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-47829-6_1574-1
Exploring the Possibilities of STEM and Play in Preschool Years in England
Gkouskou, E., & Tunnicliffe, S. D. (2022) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-99830-1_6
Lahvis, G. P. (2022) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-55065-7_1574
Robson, S. J., & Kuhlmeier, V. A. (2022) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-55065-7_1087
Simone, J. J., & McCormick, C. M. (2023) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-323-90877-1.00008-5
Uyanık, H. B., & Karasu, N. (2025) · Turkish special education journal: international. · doi:10.69485/tseji.1623650
Online concussion resources for young children and caregivers: a systematic search
Odorico, N., Kauth, M., Butt, S., Mallory, K. D., Reed, N. P., & Hunt, A. W. (2025) · Brain Injury · doi:10.1080/02699052.2025.2514159
“Given that active play is important in the development of children’s physical (32), cognitive (33), social (34), and emotional development (33), it is necessary for future research to also explore this type of play and create resources that support education on returning to active play following…”
Navigating the Global Workforce Through Workplace Learning and Professional Development
Slotboom, C. H. (2025) · IGI Global eBooks · doi:10.4018/979-8-3373-5322-7.ch003
Shi, P., Feng, X., & Wei, B. (2025) · BMC Public Health · doi:10.1186/s12889-025-24430-4
“…need to coordinate and combine the original actions, integrate the existing declarative knowledge and experience to make more rational coordinated responses or create more novel actions, so that the relevant neural circuits in the cerebral cortex continue to establish connections [53, 54].”
Embodied Belonging: Rough-and-Tumble Play as a Mechanism for Social Cohesion in Martial Arts
Mickelsson, T. B. (2025) · SAGE Open · doi:10.1177/21582440251396367
“Originating in developmental psychology and ethology (Pellis & Pellis, 2007), RTP refers to a form of vigorous, physical interaction that mimics fighting but is governed by mutual restraint, turn-taking, and social negotiation.”
The Neuropedagogical Perspective on Play in Early Childhood
GÜNEŞ, L. C., & Durualp, E. (2026) · IGI Global eBooks · doi:10.4018/979-8-3373-3581-0.ch008
On the origins and consequences of natural play and performing arts practices
Kreutz, G. (2026) · Humanities and Social Sciences Communications · doi:10.1057/s41599-026-06581-w
“One of the more spectacular forms of play is certainly the rough and tumble among wild animals, but also among humans (Pellis and Pellis 2007; Scott and Panksepp 2003).”
La place de l’humour dans la publicité internationale
Medic, D. (2020) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/5caca38fzfef4z4759z914fz733514d778c6
The educational impact of a serious game for airway management skills of medical trainees
Mohar, S., Crawford, A. M., Sánchez-Vázquez, U., Serna-Muñoz, R., & Rubio-Martínez, R. (2026) · BMC Medical Education · doi:10.1186/s12909-026-09552-6
“Unlike solitary screen-based simulations, a physical card game can require face-to-face negotiation and social play, which Pellis and Pellis describe as important for developing social competence and behavioral flexibility (18).”
Revisión literaria de un modelo educativo centrado en la equidad y la diversidad
Villamizar, S. M. T., & Celis, N. K. R. (2026) · Revista BIUMAR · doi:10.31948/rb.v10i1.5289
Rogers, S., Hogrefe, C. E., Wu, C., Seelke, A. M. H., Kar, A., Mederos, S. L., Bond, J., Carbajal, F. J., Yu, Z. J., Bauman, M. D., et al. (2026) · Developmental Psychobiology · doi:10.1002/dev.70185
“Furthermore, rats engage in rough-and-tumble play during their juvenile period, which is crucial for the development of social competence and the refinement of social, emotional, and cognitive skills (Pellis and Pellis 2007 ).”
The deadliest primate: Contest competition and the evolution of human males
Puts, D. A., & koohgard, S. (2026) · Journal of Human Evolution · doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2026.103898
Early-life social context affects vulnerability to activity-based anorexia in ratsPreprint
Martínez‐Herrada, A., Pellón, R., & Paz, A. (2026) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-11028217/v1
(2010) · American journal of play · Cited by 179
Self-citation
Metadata
- Authors
- Pellis, S. M., & Pellis, V. C.
- Affiliations
- University of Lethbridge (CA)
- Venue
- Current Directions in Psychological Science
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2007-04
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 95-98
- ISSN
- 0963-7214 (ISSN-L)
- 1467-8721
- OpenAlex
- W2101602470
- Cited by
- 225
- References
- 16
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 25 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 8
- FWCI
- 8.26
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Current Directions in Psychological Science (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
- Keywords
- rough-and-tumble play, play fighting, social play, social brain, social behavior development, laboratory rats, competitive play, brain organization
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