Young at Heart: A Perspective for Advancing Research on Play in Adulthood

Perspectives on Psychological Science

Volumn 10, Issue 5, 2015, Pages 639-645

  Van Vleet, Meredith ^a   Feeney, Brooke C ^a  

^a CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY   (United States)

Author keywords

adulthood; play; relationships

Indexed keywords

ADULT; HUMAN; METHODOLOGY; PROCEDURES; PSYCHOLOGY; RECREATION;

ADULT; HUMANS; PLAY AND PLAYTHINGS; PSYCHOLOGY; RESEARCH DESIGN;

EID: 84941928802     PISSN: 17456916     EISSN: 17456924     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1177/1745691615596789     Document Type: Article

References (76)

1. S.L.Ablon (2001). Continuities of tongues: A developmental perspective on the role of play in child and adult psychoanalytic process. Journal of Clinical Psychoanalysis, 10, 354–365.
2. D.J.Abramis (1990). Play in work: Childish hedonism or adult enthusiasm?American Behavioral Scientist, 33, 353–373. doi:10.1177/0002764290033003010
3. A.AronE.N.Aron (1986). Love and the expansion of self: Understanding attraction and satisfaction. New York, NY: Hemisphere Publishing Corp.
4. A.AronC.C.NormanE.N.AronC.McKennaR.E.Heyman (2000). Couples’ shared participation in novel and arousing activities and experienced relationship quality. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78, 273–284. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.78.2.273
5. K.S.AuneN.C.Wong (2002). Antecedents and consequences of adult play in romantic relationships. Personal Relationships, 9, 279–286. doi:10.1111/1475-6811.00019
6. L.A.Barnett (1991). Characterizing playfulness: Correlates with individual attributes and personality traits. Play and Culture, 4, 371–393.
7. L.A.Barnett (2007). The nature of playfulness in young adults. Personality and Individual Differences, 43, 949–958. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2007.02.018
8. J.A.BartzE.Hollander (2006). The neuroscience of affiliation: Forging links between basic and clinical research on neuropeptides and social behavior. Hormones and Behavior, 50, 518–528. doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2006.06.018
9. L.A.Baxter (1987). Symbols of relationship identity in relationship cultures. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 4, 261–280. doi:10.1177/026540758700400302
10. L.A.Baxter (1992). Forms and functions of intimate play in personal relationships. Human Communications Research, 18, 336–363. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2958.1992.tb00556.x
11. R.W.Betcher (1977). Intimate play and marital adaptation: Regression in the presence of another (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Boston University, Boston, MA.
12. R.W.Betcher (1981). Intimate play and marital adaptation. Psychiatry, 44, 13–33. doi:10.1521/00332747.1981.11024088
13. J.Bowlby (1988). A secure base. New York, NY: Basic Books.
14. G.M.Burghardt (1998). The evolutionary origins of play revisited: Lessons from turtles. In M.BekoffJ.A.Byers (Eds.), Animal play: Evolutionary, comparative, and ecological perspectives. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1007/978-1-4615-1209-7_9
15. B.Carey (2009, May21). At the bridge table, clues to a lucid old age. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/22/health/research/22brain.html?pagewanted=all&_r=
16. C.S.Carter (1998). Neuroendocrine perspectives on social attachment and love. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 23, 779–818. doi:10.1016/S0306-4530(98)00055-9
17. C.S.CarterB.S.Cushing (2004). Proximate mechanisms regulating sociality and social monogamy, in the context of evolution. In C.S.CarterB.S.Cushing (Eds.), The origins and nature of sociality (pp. 99–121). Hawthorne, NY: Aldine de Gruyte.
18. M.Casado-KehoeL.VanderbleekP.Thanasiu (2007). Play in couples counseling. The Family Journal, 15, 133–136. doi:10.1177/1066480706297847
19. S.CohenG.M.Williamson (1991). Stress and infectious disease in humans. Psychological Bulletin, 109, 5–24. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.109.1.5
20. J.CoolahanJ.FantuzzoJ.MendezP.McDermott (2000). Preschool peer interactions and readiness to learn: Relationships between classroom peer play and learning behaviors and conduct. Journal of Educational Psychology, 92, 458–465. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.92.3.458
21. M.Csikszentmihalyi (1975). Play and intrinsic rewards. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 15, 41–63. doi:10.1177/002216787501500306
22. A.DeLongisJ.C.CoyneG.DakofS.FolkmanR.S.Lazarus (1982). Relationship of daily hassles, uplifts, and major life events to health status. Health Psychology, 1, 119–136. doi:10.1037/0278-6133.1.2.119
23. A.C.DeVriesM.B.DeVriesS.E.TaymansC.S.Carter (1996). The effects of stress on social preferences are sexually dimorphic in prairie voles. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, USA, 93, 11980–11984.
24. H.V.Dicks (1963). Object relations theory and marital studies. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 35, 125–129. doi:10.1111/j.2044-8341.1963.tb01274.x
25. E.DienerM.Chan (2011). Happy people live longer: Subjective well-being contributes to health and longevity. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 3, 1–43. doi:10.1111/j.1758-0854.2010.01045
26. S.W.Duck (1990). Relationships as unfinished business: Out of the frying pan and into the 1990s. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 7, 5–28. doi:10.1177/0265407590071001
27. R.I.M.Dunbar (2010). The social role of touch in humans and primates: Behavioural function and neurobiological mechanisms. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 34, 260–268. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2008.07.001
28. R.I.M.Dunbar (2012). Bridging the bonding gap: The transition from primates to humans. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences, 367, 1837–1846. doi:10.1098/rstb.2011.0217
29. D.G.DuttonA.P.Aron (1974). Some evidence for heightened sexual attraction under conditions of high anxiety. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 30, 510–517. doi:10.1037/h0037031
30. R.J.Erickson (1985). Play contributes to the full emotional development of the child. Education, 105, 261–263.
31. J.FantuzzoC.McWayne (2002). The relationship between peer-play interactions in the family context and dimensions of school readiness for low-income preschool children. Journal of Educational Psychology, 94, 79–87. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.94.1.79
32. J.FantuzzoY.SekinoH.L.Cohen (2004). An examination of the contributions of interactive peer play to salient classroom competencies for urban head start children. Psychology in the Schools, 41, 323–336. doi:10.1002/pits.10162
33. B.C.Feeney (2004). A secure base: Responsive support of goal strivings and exploration in adult intimate relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 87, 631–648. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.87.5.631
34. B.C.Feeney (2007). The dependency paradox in close relationships: Accepting dependence promotes independence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92, 268–285. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.92.2.268
35. B.C.FeeneyN.L.Collins (2014). A new look at social support: A theoretical perspective on thriving through relationships. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 19, 114–137. doi:10.1177/1088868314544222
36. B.C.FeeneyE.P.Lemay (2012). Surviving relationship threats: The role of emotional capital. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 38, 1004–1017. doi:10.1177/0146167212442971
37. B.C.FeeneyR.Thrush (2010). Relationship influences on exploration in adulthood: The characteristics and function of a secure base. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 98, 57–76. doi:10.1037/a0016961
38. B.Fredrickson (1998). What good are positive emotions?Review of General Psychology, 2, 300–319. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.218
39. B.Fredrickson (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56, 218–226. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.218
40. B.Fredrickson (2003). The value of positive emotions: The emerging science of positive psychology is coming to understand why it’s good to feel good. American Scientist, 91, 330–335.
41. S.L.GableG.C.GonzagaA.Strachman (2006). Will you be there for me when things go right? Supportive responses to positive event disclosures. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 91, 904–917. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.91.5.904
42. M.A.GlynnJ.Webster (1992). The Adult Playfulness Scale: An initial assessment. Psychological Reports, 71, 83–103. doi:10.2466/pr0.1992.71.1.83
43. M.A.GlynnJ.Webster (1993). Refining the nomological net of the Adult Playfulness Scale: Personality, motivational, and attitudinal correlates for highly intelligent adults. Psychological Reports, 72, 1023–1026. doi:10.2466/pr0.1993.72.3.1023
44. I.GordonO.Zagoory-SharonJ.F.LeckmanR.Feldman (2010). Oxytocin and the development of parenting in humans. Biological Psychiatry, 68, 377–382. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2010.02.005
45. P.GuitardF.FerlandE.Dutil (2005). Toward a better understanding of playfulness in adults. Occupation, Participation and Health, 25, 9–22. doi:10.1177/153944920502500103
46. H.F.HarlowM.K.Harlow (1962). Social deprivation in monkeys. Scientific American, 207, 137–146.
47. R.B.Hays (1989). The day-to-day functioning of close versus causal friendships. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 6, 21–28. doi:10.1111/1475-6811.00019
48. T.B.HerbertS.Cohen (1993). Stress and immunity in humans: A meta-analytic review. Psychosomatic Medicine, 55, 364–379.
49. S.C.Hurwitz (2003). To be successful: Let them play!Child Education, 79, 1806–1820.
50. A.M.IsenK.A.DaubmanG.P.Nowicki (1987). Positive affect facilitates creative problem solving. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 1122–1311. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.52.6.1122
51. A.M.IsenM.M.JohnsonE.MertzG.F.Robinson (1985). The influence of positive affect on the unusualness of word associations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 48, 1413–1426. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.48.6.1413
52. S.M.Johnson (2003). The revolution in couple therapy: A practitioner-scientist perspective. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 29, 365–384. doi:10.1111/j.1752-0606.2003.tb01213.x
53. E.B.KeverneK.M.Kendrick (1992). Oxytocin facilitation of maternal behavior in sheep. Annals of the New York Academy of Science, 652, 83–101. doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.1992.tb34348.x
54. N.M.LambertA.M.GwinnR.F.BaumeisterA.StrachmanI.J.WashburnS.L.GableF.D.Fincham (2013). A boost of positive affect: The perks of sharing positive experiences. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 30, 24–43. doi:10.1177/0265407512449400
55. J.C.LauerR.H.Lauer (2002). The play solution: How to put the fun and excitement back into your relationship. Chicago, IL: Contemporary Books.
56. Leisure. (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary. Retrieved from http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/leisure
57. M.M.LimL.J.Young (2006). Neuropeptidergic regulation of affiliative behavior and social bonding in animals. Hormones and Behavior, 50, 506–517. doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2006.06.028
58. S.LyubomirskyL.KingE.Diener (2005). The benefits of frequent positive affect: Does happiness lead to success?Psychological Bulletin, 131, 803–855. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.131.6.803
59. F.NaberM.H.van IJzendoornP.DeschampsH.van EngelandM.J.Bakermans-Kranenburg (2010). Intranasal oxytocin increases fathers’ observed responsiveness during play with their children: A double-blind within-subject experiment. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 35, 1583–1586. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2010.04.007
60. E.Oring (1984). Dyadic traditions. Journal of Folklore Research, 21, 19–28.
61. T.G.Power (2000). Play and exploration in children and animals. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
62. S.D.PressmanS.Cohen (2005). Does positive affect influence health?Psychological Bulletin, 131, 925–971. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.131.6.925
63. P.QualterJ.VanhalstR.HarrisE.Van RoekelG.LodderM.BangeeM.. Verhagen (2015). Loneliness across the life span. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 10, 250–264.
64. H.T.ReisM.S.ClarkJ.G.Holmes (2004). Perceived partner responsiveness as an organizing construct in the study of intimacy and closeness. In D.MashekA.Aron (Eds.), The handbook of closeness and intimacy (pp. 201–225). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
65. C.ReissmanA.AronM.R.Bergen (1993). Shared activities and marital satisfaction: Causal direction and self-expansion versus boredom. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 10, 243–254. doi:10.1177/026540759301000205
66. C.SchaeferR.Greenberg (1997). Measurement of playfulness: A neglected therapist variable. International Journal of Play, 6, 21–31. doi:10.1037/h0089406
67. J.P.ShonkoffD.A.Phillips (2000). From neurons to neighborhoods: The science of early childhood development. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
68. J.L.SingerD.G.SingerL.R.Sherrod (1980). A factory analytic study of preschoolers’ play behavior. Academic Psychology Bulletin, 2, 143–156.
69. W.H.StarbuckJ.Webster (1991). When is play productive?Accounting, Management and Information Technologies, 1, 71–90. doi:10.1016/0959-8022(91)90013-5
70. B.Sutton-Smith (1970). A descriptive account of children’s play between one and five years. New York, NY: Teacher’s College.
71. C.S.Tamis-LeMondaJ.D.ShannonN.CabreraM.E.Lamb (2004). Fathers and mothers at play with their 2- and 3-year-olds: Contributions to language and cognitive development. Child Development, 75, 1806–1820. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2004.00818.x
72. L.Terr (1999). Beyond love and work: Why adults need to play. New York, NY: Touchstone.
73. L.VanderbleekE.H.RobinsonM.Casado-KehoeM.E.Young (2011). The relationship between play and couple satisfaction and stability. The Family Journal, 19, 132–139. doi:10.1177/1066480711399729
74. J.R.WilliamsK.C.CataniaC.S.Carter (1992). Development of partner preferences in female prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster): The role of social and sexual experience. Hormones and Behavior, 26, 339–349. doi:10.1016/0018-506X(92)90004-F
75. D.W.Winnicott (1971). Playing and reality. Oxford, England: Penguin.
76. J.T.WinslowN.HastingsC.S.CarterC.R.HarbaughT.R.Insel (1993). Selective aggression and affiliation increase following mating in a monogamous mammal: A role for central vasopressin in pair bonding. Nature, 365, 545–548.