Eliciting Play: A Comparative Study

The social play behavior of six mammalian species (Rodentia, Pinnipedia, Artiodactyla, Carnivora) is described and compared. Locomotor and Rotational Movements, e.g., jumping, running, and headshaking, occurred in all species and predominated in the rodent play. These movements are similar in form to anti-predator and "protective" responses and result in an immediate but temporary cessation of sensory stimulation from conspecifics. Investigation of body odors was the most important stimulus eliciting Locomotor-Rotational Movements in the rodents. In the larger mammals, body odor sniffing was enhanced during play, but specialized signals from other sensory modalities elicited and maintained play interactions. The possible functions of a heightened exchange of olfactory information during juvenile social development are discussed.