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Cited by 160Primate Behavior and EcologyAnimal Behavior and ReproductionChild and Animal Learning Development

What is play fighting and what is it good for?

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Pellis, Sergio M., Pellis, Vivien C.·2017·Learning & Behavior
DOI 10.3758/s13420-017-0264-3
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Abstract

Play fighting is a common form of play reported among species of mammals, birds, and some other taxa. The competition present in play fighting revolves around gaining some advantage, such as biting a partner without being bitten. The behavior simulated during play fighting need not be restricted to that present in adult serious fighting, but can involve competitive interactions derived from amicable behavior, such as sex and social grooming, or from nonsocial competition, such as predation. What unifies play fighting, irrespective of the functional behavior being simulated, is that it involves some degree of reciprocity, or turn taking, that requires that the competition be attenuated by cooperation. However, there are several different ways in which cooperation can be inserted into playful interactions, and these vary in use across different species. The moderation of competition with cooperation forces animals to monitor their own actions and those of their partners, and this common feature appears to be one vehicle through which the experience of play fighting in the juvenile period can train animals for greater psychological resilience. The monitoring and contextual adjustment of actions influences the development of executive functions of the brain, which, in turn, leads to the development of more adaptable adults.

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  • Social play behavior is a precursor of adult social, aggressive, and sexual behavior and functions to facilitate the development of circuits involved in social behavior.

    “It is thought that social play behavior is a precursor of adult social, aggressive, and sexual behavior that is displayed out of context, in exaggerated form and functions to facilitate the development of circuits involved in social behavior (Panksepp, 1981; Vanderschuren and Trezza, 2014; Pellis and Pellis, 2017).”

    From Effects of Maternal Deprivation and Complex Housing on Rat Social Behavior in Adolescence and Adulthood (2018) · cites this paper as Pellis and Pellis, 2017

    In “The functions of play fighting” (page unavailable), the paper says play fighting can influence brain executive functions and social skills, supporting the developmental part of the claim. But it questions whether play generally prepares animals for adult fighting: the suitability of play as combat practice varies by species, and the paper does not establish it as a precursor of adult social, aggressive, and sexual behavior as a whole. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Rats have a degree of sophistication in their rough-and-tumble play comparable to that of many primates and other social mammals.

    “rats have a degree of sophistication in their RTP that is comparable to that of many primates and other social mammals (Pellis and Pellis, 2017)”

    From The rough-and-tumble play of rats as a natural behavior suitable for studying the social brain (2022) · cites this paper as Pellis and Pellis, 2017

    In “The many routes to restraint during play fighting” (page unavailable), the paper describes rats’ tactical role reversals and reports a similar pattern in spider monkeys and macaques. This supports a comparison with some primates, but it does not establish comparable overall sophistication across many primates and other social mammals. (LLM, conf=0.82)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Excess agonistic engagement between cage mates may be harmful to wellbeing while playful fighting may be beneficial.

    “Excess agonistic engagement between cage mates may be harmful to wellbeing while playful fighting may be beneficial.36,37”

    From Ultrasonic Vocalization Analysis as a Novel Metric to Assess Cage Enrichment in Rats (2022) · cites this paper as [37]

    The Abstract (page not supplied) says play fighting may build psychological resilience, supporting the possibility that it is beneficial. The functions of play fighting section (page not supplied) says excessive force can cause play to escalate into serious fighting, but does not establish that excess agonistic engagement between cage mates harms wellbeing. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • In play fighting, the player with the advantage may voluntarily relinquish it, allowing a role reversal in which the original defender can become the attacker.

    “That is, the player with the advantage may voluntarily relinquish it, thus allowing a role reversal to occur, with the original defender gaining the opportunity to become the attacker (Pellis and Pellis, 2017).”

    From The rough-and-tumble play of rats as a natural behavior suitable for studying the social brain (2022) · cites this paper as Pellis and Pellis, 2017

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Cites

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Research works printed but not linked: 45

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Cited by

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Authors
Pellis, S. M., & Pellis, V. C.
Affiliations
University of Lethbridge (CA)
Corresponding author
Pellis, Sergio M.
ORCID
Venue
Learning & Behavior
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2017-04-03
Volume
45
Issue
4
Pages
355-366
ISSN
  • 1543-4494 (ISSN-L)
  • 1543-4508
DOI
10.3758/s13420-017-0264-3
OpenAlex
W2604948112
Cited by
160
References
13
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 7
FWCI
18.41
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.springer.com/tdm (unspecified)
Locations
  • Learning & Behavior (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Animal Behavior and Reproduction
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
Keywords
play fighting, animal play, competition and cooperation, reciprocity, turn-taking, juvenile development, executive function, psychological resilience, social grooming
MeSH terms
Aggression, Animals, Play and Playthings

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