Play as physical flexibility training in five ceboid primates.
Instantaneous focal animal sampling of positional behavior (posture and locomotion) during the play and nonplay of adults and juveniles of 5 ceboid monkeys (Alouatta palliata, Ateles geoffroyi, Cacajao calvus, Cebus capucinus, and Saimiri boliviensis) in an optimal design field study of the function of play as physical flexibility training produced a sample of 98,261 observations. Analyses of 67 distinct modes of positional behavior demonstrated that significantly enhanced rates of suspension and nonquadrupedal locomotion plus reduced rates of quadrupedal locomotion (especially quadrupedal walking) typified play in all 5 species. These findings support the hypothesis that play promotes the development of dynamic and static flexibility in arboreal primates. This argument from design that play functions as physical flexibility training was discussed as fully compatible with other functional interpretations.
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Psychology Department, Bucknell University.
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D005260:Female; D000882:Haplorhini; D008124:Locomotion; D008297:Male; D010988:Play and Playthings; D011187:Posture