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(the subcortical regions) and the ‘cognitive’ or executive brain regions (the frontal cortex).
Play may have adaptive value as children regulate their emotions in terms of ‘per-
Play presents a way of keeping alive the primary
formance strategy, courage, resilience,
repertoire within the carefulness dictated by
imagination, sociability or charisma’
the secondary emotions (Sutton-Smith 2003). It
(Sutton-Smith 2003: 15). Play offers the
offers the opportunity to express primary emo-
opportunity to develop and try out a range
tions as long as they are substantially control-
of responses without serious consequences.
led; primary emotions are ‘parodied’ in play by
This process may contribute to shaping
the ‘as if ’ element (‘as if ’ the emotions being
neural architecture, enhancing the integra-
presented in this play are ‘real’) yet without the
tion of systems that support emotion and
real consequences.
cognition.
For example, in rough and tumble play there is a balancing act between primary and second-
Stress response systems
ary emotions. The secondary emotions keep in
A specific form of emotion regulation can be
check the ‘as if ’ primary emotions of fear and
seen through responses to stress. Many people
anger, through a range of framing actions that
understand stress as a negative or harmful expe-
give the message this is play rather than aggres-
rience, but not all stress is necessarily damaging;
sion. This requires establishing basic routines
indeed the absence of any form of stress is likely
that are recognised as non-confrontational.
to be significantly more harmful (Greenberg
Small deviations to these routines enable chil-
2004, Yun et al. 2005, Pellis and Pellis 2009).
dren to experience moderate novelty, enhancing the experience and also inviting the addition of
Research suggests that there are some benefits
more novelty through structured flexibility and
to the development of emotion-regulation and
a moment-by-moment uncertainty. This leads
stress response systems when the stress is of
to the fine-tuning of emotional responses (Pellis
moderate intensity (Pellis and Pellis 2006). In
and Pellis 2006).
some circumstances, the experience of moderate stress or adversity can strengthen resistance
As play unfolds, children become aware of the
to later stress, or ‘stress inoculation’ (Panksepp
actions, emotions, motivations and desires of
2001, Rutter 2006, Haglund et al. 2007). The
others and adjust their own actions in response.
degree of control and agency that an organ-
This synchrony is the foundation for empa-
ism has over the stressor plays a central role in
thy through shared neural representations,
determining whether the stressful event leads to
self-awareness, mental flexibility and emotion
subsequent vulnerability or resilience (Haglund
regulation.
et al. 2007). Equally, the positive or negative affect associated with the stressor will play a