Playfulness in Adolescence: An Initial Analysis of Social Behavior and Popularity in School

Nancy Tandler
Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Department of Psychology

René Proyer
Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Department of Psychology

Keywords: Playfulness, adolescence, social status, popularity, likeability

Playfulness is an individual difference variable that enables adolescents to experience and (re)frame situations of everyday life as interesting, entertaining, and/or stimulating. Eighty-two adolescents (aged 15-17) reported on their overall playfulness and four facets of playfulness (other-directed, lighthearted, intellectual, whimsical). They also nominated three classmates for each category: likability ("like most/least") and popularity ("most popular/unpopular"). Lighthearted and other-directed playfulness play an important role in high sociometric status among classmates: Adolescents high in lighthearted playfulness were more liked and less frequently nominated as least liked by their peers. Adolescents who scored high in other-directed playfulness were not only better liked by their peers but also more popular and less likely to be considered unpopular. Conversely, intellectual and global playfulness seemed to be less important for peer status. We discuss playfulness’ role in social aspects of adolescents’ lives and related outcomes, considering adolescents’ well-being and mental health, and we discuss directions for further research.

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AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Nancy Tandler

Dr. Nancy Tandler is a postdoctoral researcher in Prof. Proyer’s lab at the Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg. Her main interest is the role of adolescents’ playfulness in explaining well-being, social status and educational outcomes.

René Proyer

Prof. Dr. René Proyer is a full professor of Psychological Assessment and Differential Psychology at the Department of Psychology at the Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg. He is mainly interested in the study of individual differences variables (e.g., playfulness, creativity) that contribute to positive psychological functioning.

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