Revisiting Adult Playfulness and Relationship Satisfaction: APIM Analyses of Middle-Aged and Older Couples

Abstract

There is robust support for the notion that playfulness is important for how people initiate and engage in their romantic relationships. Our study sought to extend the knowledge on associations between four facets of playfulness (Other-directed, Lighthearted, Intellectual, and Whimsical; OLIW) with facets of relationship satisfaction (RS) in 116 middle-to-older age couples (median = 54 and 57 years in women and men). In comparison to younger samples, we found lower expressions in Other-directed playfulness. Using Actor-Partner Interdependence Modelling, we found that (a) older couples showed comparatively higher similarity in the single OLIW facets and their profiles than previously found in younger couples; (b) similarity is again unrelated to RS; and (c) findings on playfulness-RS associations partially replicated, with Other-directed and Whimsical playfulness showing the numerically strongest actor and partner effects, but mainly in women. We discuss the differences in similarity with regard to an attrition effect. Overall, we conclude that playfulness is important in older couples in similar ways as in younger couples.

The Evolution of Playfulness, Play and Play-Like Phenomena in Relation to Sexual Selection

“…More playful individuals are preferred as mates (Chick et al, 2012;Proyer and Wagner, 2015), and playfulness is also positively correlated with physical fitness (Proyer et al, 2018), relationship satisfaction (Brauer et al, 2021) and is subject to assortative mating (Chick et al, 2020), which can explain its heritability. Additionally, players of sportive games have more sexual partners (Faurie et al, 2004).…”

Depressive symptoms in older adult couples: Associations with dyadic physical health, social engagement, and close friends

“…We were unable to examine the influence of spousal relationship quality in this secondary dyadic analysis, which may help to further distinguish the benefits of social activities or social connectedness to older adults' mental health ( 11 ), or the potential interactions between types of social engagement and being in a spousal relationship with mental health in couples ( 58 ). It is possible that support from spouses would also mitigate the effect of incongruent dyadic health on depressive symptoms ( 59 ).…”

An Analysis of the Hebrew Translation of the OLIW-S to Assess Adult Playfulness

“…Of course, the idea that playfulness is not only of importance for children, but for adults, it is also not new; for example, already Murray (1938) described the need for play as one of his basic human needs. It has been argued that playfulness can have important functions among adults, for example, a signal function in sexual selection, innovativeness at work, facilitating creativity, and experiencing sexuality (e.g., Brauer, Sendatzki, et al, 2021; Brauer, Friedemann, et al, 2023; Chick, 2001; Proyer, Tandler, & Brauer, 2019). More recently, the contribution of playfulness at work has begun to be examined.…”

“…It is argued that playfulness can contribute to the daily life of adults in different ways. For example, in social exchange, when Other-directed playfulness helps managing social relationships (e.g., Brauer, Sendatzki, et al, 2021; Proyer, Brauer, et al, 2019; see Brauer, Proyer, & Chick, 2021, for an overview). Another example would be Intellectual playfulness, which should be particularly important in work contexts (e.g., facilitating innovative behavior or finding unusual and new problem-solving strategies).…”