Evolutionary Perspectives on Social Development

Bjorklund, David F.; Pellegrini, Anthony D.

doi:10.1002/9781444390933.ch4

Cited by 17 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 94 publications

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“…Although relatively little research has focused on the benefits of playing video games specifically, the functions and benefits of play more generally have been studied for decades. Evolutionary psychology has long emphasized the adaptive functions of play (for a review, see Bjorklund & Pellegrini, 2010), and in developmental psychology, the positive function of play has been a running theme for some of the most respected scholars in the field (e.g., Erikson, 1977; Piaget, 1962; Vygotsky, 1978). Erikson (1977) proposed that play contexts allow children to experiment with social experiences and simulate alternative emotional consequences, which can then bring about feelings of resolution outside the play context.…”

Section: The Function Of Playmentioning

confidence: 99%

The benefits of playing video games.

Granic¹,

Lobel²,

Engels³

2014

American Psychologist

1,724

1,049

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Section: The Function Of Playmentioning

confidence: 99%

The benefits of playing video games.

Granic¹,

Lobel²,

Engels³

2014

American Psychologist

1,724

1,049

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…What, then, might be the adaptive advantages of our extended childhood? The journey to adulthood through different stages (infancy, childhood, adolescence) requires not only that infants and children have several strategies available to survive the long trek to maturity (i.e., "ontogenetic adaptations"), but suggests that this high investment has notable adaptive advantages for adulthood that outbalance the costs and risks of a prolonged prereproductive lifetime (i.e., "deferred adaptations"; Bjorklund and Pellegrini, 2011;Hernández Blasi and Bjorklund, 2003). Whereas sufficient ontogenetic adaptations are the necessary condition for reaching a stage of reproductive maturity, deferred adaptations are the necessary condition for the evolution of a long childhood to occur in the first place.…”

Section: Does Playing Pay?mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…-436- Pellegrini, 2011). This is what a long development is for: It enables humans, more than any other species on earth, to adapt ontogenetically (i.e., individually) to all kinds of physical and social niches (Greve and Bjorklund, 2012).…”

Section: Individual Niche Adaptation Requires Time To Learn and Adaptmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does Playing Pay? The Fitness-Effect of Free Play during Childhood

2014

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Evolutionary developmental psychology claims that the sequences and processes of human development, in fact the mere fact of ontogeny itself, have to be viewed as evolutionary products. However, although the functional benefits of childish behavior (child playing) for cognitive and emotional development have been shown repeatedly, claiming evolutionary adaptiveness of playing in childhood suggests that childish play supports evolutionary success in mature stages of development. This hypothesis is tested in a study with N = 134 adults (93 females; age range 20-66 years). Participants were asked to recollect their play experiences during childhood in detail, and to report their current developmental status with respect to several aspects of social success. Results show that the opportunity for and the promotion of free play in childhood significantly predict some indicators of social success. Additional analyses strive to explore mediating processes for this relationship. In particular, the mediating role of individual adaptivity (flexibility of goal adjustment) is investigated. Results suggest that freely playing in childhood promotes developmental resources, in particular individual adaptivity in adulthood, which, in turn, promote developmental success.

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“…However, the perspective on both ontogenetic and deferred adaptations of child play (Bateson & Martin, 2013) may help to differentiate this discussion. According to this view, claiming child play to be an evolutionary adaptation suggests that play directly or indirectly contributes to evolutionary success, that is, improves conditions of successful development (Bjorklund, 2007; Bjorklund & Pellegrini, 2002, 2011; King & Bjorklund, 2010). Here, several lines of argument are plausible.…”

Section: Child Play As An Adaptationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary Advantages of Free Play During Childhood

Greve

Thomsen

2016

Evol Psychol

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In a theoretical framework of evolutionary developmental psychology, the present study investigates the assumption that free play during childhood is a condition for the development of individual adaptability, which in turn predicts, first, social success and, second, reproductive success. This hypothesis is tested in a study with 238 adults (75.9% females; 18-90 years). Participants were asked to recollect their free play experiences during childhood in detail, to report their current developmental status with respect to several aspects of social success, and to report the number of (own) children. Furthermore, individual adaptability (flexibility of goal adjustment) is assessed. Results show that the opportunity for free play in childhood significantly predicts both social success and individual adaptability. Social success did not predict reproductive success (number of offspring) directly. However, an indirect effect to the number of offspring was found, mediated by individual adaptability. These results suggest that freely playing in childhood is connected to the development of developmental resources, in particular individual adaptability in adulthood, which, in turn, is related to reproductive success (fitness).

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Evolutionary Perspectives on Social Development

Cited by 17 publications

References 94 publications

The benefits of playing video games.

The benefits of playing video games.

Does Playing Pay? The Fitness-Effect of Free Play during Childhood

Evolutionary Advantages of Free Play During Childhood

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