Abstract

Within psychology, play is studied mainly as an
instrumental phenomenon for child development
and therapy. This body of knowledge is
utilised for the development of ludic objects
and environments in the context of leisure,
learning and therapy. Where adults are concerned,
play is almost exclusively studied in
therapeutic contexts. This paper explores the
far broader contributions psychology could
make to the understanding of ludic engagement
in adulthood. Using primarily Burghardt’s
(2004) conceptual analysis of animal play
behaviour and Sutton-Smith’s (1997) rhetorics
of play, a number of research questions will be
proposed. Finally, the contribution such
research could make to the design of ludic
objects and environments, as well as the
need for an interdisciplinary approach will be
discussed.