Synopsis

Published in 2023, this review article in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews explores the evolutionary and biological underpinnings of father-child rough-and-tumble play (RTP) in humans. Authors Daniel Paquette and Jennifer M. StGeorge synthesize insights from mammalian peer-play behaviors, paternal endocrinology across species, and the activation relationship theory to argue that this form of play serves an adaptive role in fostering openness to the world through risk-taking and social cooperation.

• RTP is a widespread behavior among mammals, including humans, shaped by both evolutionary and cultural influences.
• Father-child RTP differs from peer RTP by emphasizing a parental function of “opening to the world,” promoting tolerance, unpredictability, and adaptive risk-taking.
• Paternal hormone profiles show greater variability across species than maternal ones, reflecting evolutionary adaptations to diverse environmental demands in child-rearing.
• This play style highlights human social systems built on cooperation and emotional regulation, with potential benefits for child development in social and exploratory skills.

The Study

Here’s the whole study:

Citation

Daniel Paquette, Jennifer M. StGeorge, Proximate and ultimate mechanisms of human father-child rough-and-tumble play, Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, Volume 149,2023,105151, ISSN 0149-7634, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105151.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763423001203)

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