The development of play behavior in young chimpanzees and in human children is similar in form, trajectory, and preference of partners. This is one of the exciting discoveries made by Elisabetta Palagi, an associate professor of ethology at the University of Pisa in Italy, who conducts naturalistic studies of social behavior and empathy in primates. Her research explores the development of play in juveniles, and the adult use of play to manage stress and conflict. A prominent theme in her work is the use of play signals to ensure all participants understand intent during play sessions. She has written for the popular press as well as for numerous scientific journals, and is currently an editor of the journals Behavior, Primates, and PLoS ONE.
Most Influential Work:
- Her 2011 article with Giada Cordoni, “Ontogenetic Trajectories of Chimpanzee Social Play: Similarities with Humans” (PLoS ONE 6 (11): e27344), was the first study to compare play development in humans and chimpanzees in a standardized way.
View all books and articles on our site by Elisabetta Palagi:
