New Aspects of Human EthologyKlaus Atzwanger, Karl Grammer, Katrin Schäfer, Alain Schmitt Rough-and-tumble play provided one of the paradigmatic examples of the appli- tion of ethological methods, back in the 1970's. Since then, a modest number of - searchers have developed our knowledge of this kind of activity, using a variety of methods, and addressing some quite fundamental questions about age changes, sex diff- ences, nature and function of behaviour. In this chapter I will review work on this topic, mentioning particularly the interest in comparing results from different informants and different methods of investigation. Briefly, rough-and-tumble play (or R&T for short) refers to a cluster of behaviours whose core is rough but playful wrestling and tumbling on the ground; and whose general characteristic is that the behaviours seem to be agonistic but in a non-serious, playful c- text. The varieties of R&T, and the detailed differences between rough-and-tumble play and real fighting, will be discussed later. 2. A BRIEF HISTORY OF RESEARCH ON R&T In his pioneering work on human play, Groos (1901) described many kinds of rough-and-tumble play. However, R&T was virtually an ignored topic from then until the late 1960's. There was, of course, a flowering of observational research on children in the 1920s and 1930s, especially in North America; but this research had a strong practical o- entation, and lacked the cross-species perspective and evolutionary orientation present in Groos' work. |
Other editions - View all
New Aspects of Human Ethology Klaus Atzwanger,Karl Grammer,Katrin Schäfer,Alain Schmitt Limited preview - 2007 |
New Aspects of Human Ethology Klaus Atzwanger,Karl Grammer,Katrin Schäfer,Alain Schmitt No preview available - 2013 |
New Aspects of Human Ethology International Society for Human Ethology. Conference No preview available - 1997 |
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activity adaptive aggression analysis androgens animals Baker and Bellis basic behavior genetics Biology bisexuals Bouchard Boulton brain Calahonda chimpanzees cognitive communication complex cooperation copulation correlations cultural dominance Dunbar effects Eibl-Eibesfeldt ejaculates emotions environment environmental estrogen evolution evolutionary example factors female function genes genetic Grammer groups heritability hormones human behavior Human Ethology hypothesis individuals influence inseminate interaction interest Journal Konrad Lorenz Lykken male masturbation mate mean measures menstrual cycle movement neocortex non-verbal number of sperm observed oestrogen levels orgasm oxytocin pairs parental partner patterns Pellegrini person Phase play fighting players primates Prisoner's Dilemma Psychology real fighting relationship reproductive role sample Sciences sender sexual behavior signals Smith social Sociobiology specific sperm competition steroid stimulus strategy suggest symmetry testis testosterone theory tion Tit For Tat twins reared Urban Ethology variables vasopressin Weisfeld women York