PlayMatt Belzner

OverviewPlay

DefinitionGroupsActivitiesValuePuzzles and Spatial Transformation

Pretend PlayDefinitionReason and SignalsDevelopment and Culture

Play

Four AspectsFlexibility

Positive Affect

Nonliterality

Intrinsic Motivation

Mildred B. Parten (1932)Observed 34 preschoolers 1 minute

each

Play GroupsSmall: Less than 5, most groups had only 2Formation of Groups

AskingSubtly JoiningInvitationSubtle Invitation

Gender in Groups

Mildred B. Parten (1932)If siblings present, stayed with them

M.B. Parten (1932)Frequency of Activities

Playing in Sandbox – 330

Playing “House”

and with Dolls – 178

M.B. Parten (1932)Frequency of Activities

Pulling or Hitching Sectional Train – 151

M.B. Parten (1932)Frequency of Activities

Riding in Kiddie Car – 146

M.B. Parten (1932)Age Difference

Level of Complexity

M.B. Parten (1932)Social Value of Play Activities

Cooperation and DisputesDomestic NormsSocial Skills

Puzzles and Spatial TransformationLevine et al.

Observed children at 2 years of age 6 times up until they were 4 years old

Half played with puzzles, Half did not

Why Puzzles? Why Spatial Transformation?

At 4 years old children were given a spatial transformation task

Puzzle players did better on task

Pretend Play

Pretend Play DefinedPretense layered over reality

Projecting some mentally represented alternative on the present situation in the spirit of play

Share an alternate reality

Projecting imaginary objects and properties

Using an object as if it were another

High point is the 3-5 year old range

Pretend PlayWhy Pretend Play?

Signals of Pretend PlaySound EffectsLaughingSmilesEye ContactExaggeration

Pretend and Development

Vygotsky

Piaget

Pretend and DevelopmentLillard et al. (2012)

Nonsocial Cognitive Aptitudes

Social Cognition

Social Skills

Language

Narrative Skills

Self-Regulation

Equifinality

Pretend and DevelopmentLillard et al. (2012)

Nonsocial Cognitive AptitudesReasoningCreativity, Intelligence, ConservationProblem Solving

Pretend and DevelopmentLillard et al. (2012)

Language

Narrative Skills

Social Cognition, Self Regulation

Social Skills

Pretend and CultureNielsen (2012)

Copy Arbitrary Actions

Replicate How Objects Are Used

Transmission of Culture

Rules and Meanings

Adult Imagination

Questions?