Defining 'Play' in Humans and Animals

Humans, especially young children, love to play, and so do most animals. Why, then, do humans and animals enjoy and seek out play?

Lance Miller, who oversees animal welfare at the Chicago Zoological Society in the United States, said the term “play” is not easy to define.

He said, “There are many different types of play, and different forms can emerge depending on the situation. Both humans and animals can engage in ‘social play’ with others or ‘solitary play’ by themselves.”

Miller added, “Play may not be universal. The degree and behavior involved in each type of play vary greatly. Play is a highly complex activity.”

Play supports the development of humans and animals. For example, imaginative play is very important for children’s cognitive and social development. However, according to one study, it is unclear whether imaginative play among adults has the same effects as it does among children.

Meanwhile, Miller said, “There is evidence that play is an indicator of positive animal welfare. Of course, this does not necessarily mean that welfare standards are high.”

To better understand the concept of play in humans and animals, he gathered information from various experts and identified diverse characteristics of play, including reward-based, spontaneous and social play.

Miller hopes that rather than reducing play to a single definition, researchers will conduct a wide range of studies on it.