Head rotations in the play of Hanuman langurs (semnopithecus entellus): Description and analysis of function.

Although head rotations are frequent patterns in play behavior in many mammalian species and differ from head movements used in other contexts, they have not been quantitatively described and their function remains unclear. The head rotations occurring in the play behavior of free-ranging Hanuman langurs (Semnopithecus entellus) were described from videotaped sequences. The authors tested 2 possible hypotheses about their function. Either the head rotations serve to create unexpected situations and should therefore occur in both solitary and social play and also be very variable, or they serve as play signals and should therefore occur only in social play and be ritualized. If head rotations have both functions, they should be less variable in social play. The data revealed that head rotations were very variable and were present both in solitary and social play. Furthermore, there was no difference in the variability between the head rotations present in the 2 types of play. The results do not support the function of head rotations as play signals but, rather, suggest that head rotations may serve to create unexpected situations in play. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Recognition of heterospecific alarm vocalization by Bonnet Macaques (Macaca radiata).

Recognition of heterospecific alarm vocalizations is an essential component of antipredator behavior in several prey species. The authors examined the role of learning in the discrimination of heterospecific vocalizations by wild bonnet macaques (Macaca radiata) in southern India. The bonnet macaques' flight and scanning responses to playbacks of their own alarm vocalizations were compared with their responses to playbacks of vocalizations of Nilgiri langurs (Trachypithecus johnii), Hanuman langurs (Semnopithecus entellus), and sambar deer (Cervus unicolor). The study was conducted in 3 regions that differed in the frequency with which bonnet macaques encountered these species and included an urban setting. Call recognition was highest in adults and in regions where individuals were frequently exposed to the calling species; calls were not recognized by urban monkeys. Thus, age and experience are important factors in heterospecific call recognition by bonnet macaques. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relationship between smile type and play type during parent-infant play.

This study examined the relationship between smile type and play type during parent–infant interactions in the home. Thirty-six mother–infant and father–infant dyads were videotaped playing for 10 min. Smile type (basic, Duchenne, and duplay smiles) and play type (object, physical, vocal, and book reading) were coded. Results of loglinear analysis indicated that different types of smiles occur during different types of play more often than expected if distributed equally. In addition, different smile-type and play-type patterns occurred for father–infant dyads compared with mother–infant dyads. Qualitative analyses were used to generate hypotheses about the reasons why different types of smiles occurred during various play activities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Seroprevalence of GB virus C and persistence of RNA and antibody

Cercopithecus, the genus of guenons, is the largest of the African primate genera, and yet more than half of the species belonging to this group have never been the focus of a long-term field study. In this paper, I present data on group size and composition for a previously unstudied population of guenons on the Caribbean island of Grenada. The mona monkey, Cercopithecus mona, was introduced to Grenada from Africa approximately 200-300 years ago. Two types of social groups were found for Cercopithecus mona on Grenada: all-male groups consisting of two to four individuals and bisexual groups containing 5-32 individuals. All-male groups of Grenada mona monkeys contained any combination of juveniles, subadults, and/or adults. All-male groups were a common occurrence on Grenada but have never been reported for African C. mona and have been reported only in two other forest Cercopithecus species. Bisexual groups appeared to consist of one adult male, one to six adult females, subadult females, and juveniles and infants of both sexes. Even though no more than one adult male was ever seen in each bisexual group of monas on Grenada, other males were heard giving copulation calls simultaneously with resident adult male loud calls, suggesting that other males occasionally infiltrate bisexual groups.     

From exploration to play: A cross-sectional study of infant free play behavior.

40 infants, divided into 10 evenly spaced age groups between the ages of 7.5 and 21 mo, were observed playing with 2 sets of toys in their own homes for up to 30 min. Narrative records of Ss' behavior were coded in terms of a 12-step sequence of play development. Analysis of individual performance indicated that this level-of-play scale satisfied the requirements of a valid Guttman scale. Analyses of means revealed that frequency of mouthing and simple manipulation decreased linearly across the age period studied, whereas several types of pretense play increased linearly. Behavior that involved relating 2 or more materials and approximation of pretense behavior displayed curvilinear functions, which suggests that they are transitional forms of activity that link early exploration with more developmentally advanced pretense play. (26 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Monitoring two boys' processes through the stages of child-centered play therapy.

This article describes two boys' actions in child-centered play therapy (CCPT) through the lens of the typical stages in CCPT as described by Nordling and Guerney (1999). Both boys were referred for severe attention and aggression problems that had persisted for more than one school year at age six. While each boy engaged in CCPT in unique ways, the authors were able to clearly discern the stages in each boy's play. The authors assert for the value of play therapists' ability to discern stages in children's therapeutic play to monitor progress and determine readiness to end from an internal to the child gauge, as well as through the external gauges of behavior change reports from parents and teachers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

When girls versus boys play alone: Nonsocial play and adjustment in kindergarten.

The goal of the present study was to examine the relations between different forms of children's nonsocial play behaviors and adjustment in kindergarten. The participants in this study were 77 kindergarten children (38 boys, 39 girls; mean age?=?66.16 months, SD?=?4.11 months). Mothers completed ratings of child shyness and emotion dysregulation. Children's nonsocial play behaviors (reticent, solitary-passive, solitary-active) were observed during free play. In addition, teachers rated child behavior problems (internalizing and externalizing) and social competence; academic achievement was assessed through child interviews. Results from regression analyses revealed that different types of nonsocial play were differentially associated with child characteristics and indices of adjustment. For some forms of nonsocial play, the nature of these associations differed significantly for boys and girls. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Know thyself: Misperceptions of actual performance undermine achievement motivation, future performance, and subjective well-being.

Contrary to the popular assumption that self-enhancement improves task motivation and future performance, the authors propose that both inflated and deflated self-assessments of performance are linked to an increased likelihood of practicing self-handicapping and having relatively poor performance in future tasks. Consistent with this proposal, we found that irrespective of the level of actual performance, compared with accurate self-assessment, both inflated and deflated self-assessments of task performance are associated with a greater tendency to (a) practice self-handicapping (Study 1: prefer to work under distraction; Study 2: withhold preparatory effort), (b) perform relatively poorly in a subsequent task (Study 3), (c) have relatively low academic achievement (Study 4), and (d) report a relatively low level of subjective well-being (Study 5). The authors discuss these results in terms of their educational implications. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Opiates and play dominance in juvenile rats.

Studied social play between approximately 155 pairs of individually housed juvenile Long-Evans hooded rats in 4 experiments. Pinning frequencies, occurring during rough-and-tumble play, were measured. Low doses of morphine (2 mg/kg) increased play, and opioid blockade with naloxone (1 mg/kg) reduced play. Dominance, as measured by which pinned which most, was markedly reduced by naloxone (1 mg/kg) and slightly increased by morphine (1 mg/kg). These effects were most apparent when Ss were treated with these drugs continuously from the beginning of play testing. Although the respective drugs tended to reverse established dominance patterns (i.e., naloxone made dominant Ss more submissive, and morphine made submissive Ss more dominant), it was apparent that previously established social learning limited the effectiveness of these manipulations. In general, the results are consistent with the proposition that brain opioids are important in controlling the vigor of social relations. (33 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Developing practically wise leaders through serious play.

The contemporary challenge of leadership has been framed in terms of dealing authentically, ethically, and effectively with the complexity and uncertainty of organizational life. This article draws on research in the fields of psychology and philosophy to introduce practical wisdom as a new way to conceptualize optimal leadership practice. The authors propose that practically wise leaders can be effectively developed by using serious play techniques. Empirical data are presented to illustrate this proposition, and several implications for the field of consulting psychology are outlined. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An impression management interpretation of the self-handicapping strategy.

Explored the impression-management underpinnings of the self-handicapping strategy of S. Berglas and E. E. Jones (see record 1979-05889-001). 64 male undergraduates were given success feedback after completing soluble or insoluble analogies. While anticipating a 2nd test, Ss were allowed to choose between drugs that would enhance or encumber their performance. Ss who had worked on insoluble problems chose the debilitating drug, but only when the experimenter (E) witnessed the choice. They were most likely to choose the debilitating drug when the E was present and when they believed that the E would have access to their score on the anticipated 2nd test. The data are cautiously interpreted as consistent with an impression management view of self-handicapping. The authors suggest that although it appears that self-handicapping is an impression management strategy at least under some circumstances, the exact nature of the strategy needs further specification. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex-differentiated free play behavior: Effects of teacher modeling, location, and gender.

82 preschoolers' (40–62 mo old) rates of behavior were observed toward play activities (e.g. dolls, trucks) and teacher-related variables. Results show that both sexes increased rates of participation in response to teacher presence in male and female sex-typed activity areas during free play. Girls, however, responded more consistently to teacher presence than did boys, who modulated their responses according to both the sex typing of the activity and the sex of the teacher. Findings indicate that typically observed teacher behavior during free play may contribute significantly to reported patterns of sex-differentiated play. (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Behavioral concordance with sex role ideology related to play areas, creativity, and parental sex typing of children.

72 kindergarten children were individually observed, and their play areas and social interaction with peers and adults were recorded. Teachers rated each child individually, and along with a sample of adults, rated "most kindergarten boys/girls" on the same types of behavior. Parents completed a questionnaire scored for sex typing, and the children were individually tested on a measure of creativity. Girls, as compared to boys, played in more different places, related to adults almost twice as much, and played significantly more often indoors. Of 21 distinguishable play situations, the proportions in which 13 were used by girls and boys did not differ, and significant gender differences in social behavior that were directly observed were fewer in number than those expected by adults. Children whose behavior did not closely approximate sex role expectations by adults differed reliably from more conforming children in being more ideationally fluent. Less conforming boys were more often found in neutral areas and less often in play areas popular with children of their own gender. For girls only, a relationship was found between differences in parents' sex-typing scores and whether the child's behavior matched or did not match expectation. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-handicapping, defensive pessimism, and goal orientation: A qualitative study of university students.

Interviews with 1st-year university students selected as high or low in either self-handicapping or defensive pessimism identified (a) personal perspectives on the nature of self-handicapping and defensive pessimism, (b) the perceived reasons why they engage in these strategies and the perceived advantages that follow from them, and (c) the extent to which ego goals and task goals mark their approach to their studies. The data confirm previous quantitative research and also provide important qualitative information on the congruencies and differences in goal orientation for self-handicappers and defensive pessimists, the social and academic costs of self-protective behavior, the control students feel they have over their self-protective behavior, and the roles of the family and students' culture in their tendency to self-protect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Enhancing the prediction of self-handicapping.

Levels of test anxiety, Type A and Type B coronary-prone behavior, fear of failure, and covert self-esteem were studied as predictors of self-handicapping performance attributions for college women who were placed in either a high- (N?=?49) or low- (N?=?49) evaluative test or task situation. We hypothesized that test anxiety, Type A or Type B level, and their interaction would account for reliable variance in the prediction of self-handicapping. However, we also theorized that underlying high fear of failure and low covert self-esteem would explain the self-handicapping claims of test-anxious and Type A subjects. The results indicated that only high levels of test anxiety and high levels of covert self-esteem were related to women's self-handicapping attributions. (42 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A place for Bobo in play therapy.

Some therapists hold that the Bobo and other aggressive toys should be excluded from the playroom as they elicit acting-out behavior that is transferred to the world outside the playroom. However, many therapists view the inclusion of these items as imperative elements that facilitate positive growth and maturation in the child. Interviews with authorities in the field of play therapy support the position that the inclusion of the Bobo is not only useful, but a therapeutic necessity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Somatic expressions of trauma in experiential play therapy.

The authors postulate that trauma experienced during childhood effects brain functioning that is inaccessible to verbal recall. Trauma memories are observed in children's habitual and sporadic body movements. These repeated somatic expressions and affective states activate somatic disorders and traumatic traits. A correlation between trauma responses in animals to somatic expressions in children is established. The trauma effects of these unconscious, implicit memories require special strategies. Experiential Play Therapy (EPT) (Norton & Norton, 2006) has implications for accessing and alleviating these memories. In EPT, children follow patterns in their expressions of trauma experience as explained using the Nortons' 4 Ss of Trauma Expression and Healing. Utilizing these play patterns facilitates the dissipation of trauma. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Early school competence: The roles of sex-segregated play and effortful control.

The purpose of this research was to examine the role that young children's same-sex peer interactions play in influencing early school competence. The authors also examined the degree to which effortful control (EC) moderated these relations. The same-sex play preferences of 98 young children (50 boys and 48 girls; mean age = 54.77 months) were observed during the fall semester. At the end of the fall semester, one set of teachers reported on children's EC, and at the end of the following spring semester, another set reported on children's school competence (social, academic, and perceptual-motor). Results revealed that EC moderated the relations of children's same-sex play to their school competence. These patterns differed for boys and girls such that same-sex play was positively related to school outcomes for boys high in EC and for girls low in EC. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)