ABSTRACT

Adult communicative play is a pervasive interpersonal phenomenon that manifests in myriad forms and serves a variety of intra- and interpersonal functions. Here, a conceptual definition of adult communicative play is presented, and a theory specifying the conditions and processes that give rise to such occasions is developed. Central to this effort is the conception of “quintessential play” as “ideal code-based (verbal and nonverbal) instances of interpersonal engagement, understanding, and coordination, marked by a sense of novelty and enjoyment, that are understood to count as ‘play’ by the participants themselves.” Experiences of truly quintessential play may be infrequent, but they represent the endpoint of a continuum along which all occasions of play can be seen to fall. The theoretical framework advanced here, then, addresses the role of person factors (e.g., personality traits), relationship factors (e.g., affection, power), dyadic factors (e.g., similarity), contextual factors (e.g., social rules and norms), and properties of interactions themselves, in fostering occasions of quintessential play, and that, by extension, sheds light on instances of failed play (e.g., mean-spirited teasing, bullying).

摘要

成人交往游戏是一种普遍存在的人际现象，以多种形式表现出来，并具有多种内部和人际功能。在这里，提出了成人交往游戏的概念定义，并发展了一种具体说明产生这种场合的条件和过程的理论。这一努力的核心是“典型游戏”的概念，即“人际参与、理解和协调的理想的基于代码（语言和非语言）的实例，以新奇感和享受感为标志，被理解为‘游戏’” ’由参与者自己决定。” 真正典型的游戏体验可能并不常见，但它们代表了一个连续体的终点，所有游戏场合都可以沿着这个连续体下降。理论框架推进到这里，那么，