Some animals fight not to kill each other, but simply to play. And this activity is essential to their well-being. This is what several studies relayed by National Geographic prove. Some scientists even think that the benefits of fighting observed in animals could be the same for children. But is this a sufficient argument for parents to no longer separate their little ones when they play fight?
Many animals have the habit of ruckus to play. This is the case with young rats, who like to bite the back of their neck. Dominance is fleeting: a single squeal is enough to end the fight. A similar behavior is observed in magpies, which peck their heads. They never put all their strength into it, they let themselves be won over in turns and stop when one of them has had enough.
“If you’ve ever watched children fight, you’ve probably observed the same rulesexplains Sergio Pellis, a Canadian neuroscientist. At the age of 2 or 3, children engage in rough play where they try to bite each other. I think humans have retained some of the biting reflexes typical of their ape ancestors.”
According to the researcher, not all mammals can “to fight” for the sole purpose of playing. Few wild animals have the extra calories needed to engage in unnecessary activities like this. This is, for example, not possible for mice, which have a short life expectancy. All the skills they are given at birth only serve to survive. “Playing is only intended for animals that have a sufficient social life and longevity to be able to waste energy”explains Sergio Pellis.
Researchers tried an experiment by preventing young rats from biting each other. Result: they quickly showed signs of anxiety. Encounters with other rats disturbed them and they tended to overreact, showing aggression or defensiveness. Later in life, the rats developed sexual incompetence and seemed unable to mate properly with females.
Similar effects visible among Generation Z
What if preventing children from playing somewhat violent games or practicing combat sports could have the same devastating effects on their relationships with others? That’s what the scientists behind the experiment on young rats think.
In recent years, free play time has often been replaced by parents with scheduled activities and increased supervision. A 2018 survey found that North American children have 35% less outdoor free play time than their parents. Additionally, parents often view rough play as anxiety-provoking and dangerous activities for their children.
Researchers believe that children could also exhibit inappropriate social behaviors, resulting from this deprivation of play. Members of new generations also show more signs of anxiety than their ancestors. A survey also indicates that only 56% of members of Generation Z would have had a romantic relationship as teenagers, compared to 76% of Generation X. Between 2000 and 2018, the percentage of young adults who had not had sex in the past year tripled among men and doubled among women.
However, no real experimentation has yet taken place on children to scientifically prove that the absence of play would be the direct cause. Additional studies will need to be carried out to explore this hypothesis, which should delight the most argumentative among us.
