The effects of early social isolation on the motivation for social play in juvenile rats
Ikemoto, S., J. Panksepp
· 1996
★ NIFPlay Rating: 9
Rating Scale
10 Rigorous play-specific science
6–9 General biological science
5 Sound play research (uncontrolled)
1–4 Less rigorous / indirect
0 Indirect but high value
Ikemoto and Panksepp demonstrate that early social isolation dramatically increases later motivation to engage in social play, suggesting a homeostatic regulatory mechanism for play drive.
