Freedom to Learn

The roles of play and curiosity as foundations for learning

Peter Gray, a research professor of psychology at Boston College, is a specialist in developmental and evolutionary psychology and author of an introductory textbook, Psychology. See full bio

May 26, 2009, Child Development

Comments on "The Headman Was a Woman: Introduction to a Series on Play as a Foundation for Freedom and Equality"

The Headman Was a Woman: Introduction to a Series on Play as a Foundation for Freedom and Equality

By Peter Gray on May 26, 2009 in Freedom to Learn

Tanyogn was the kind of person who would be an asset to any community. She was intelligent, energetic, hardworking, a skilled debater, and most of all extraordinarily caring of all people around her. Among the hunting and gathering Batek of the upper Lebir River valley of Penninsular Malaysia she was known by the Malay word for headman, even though the Batek do not have official headmen. What are the social conditions in which a person like Tanyogn--a person who is not competitive, not interested in status, not in any way threatening, but simply helpful--can be recognized as the true leader of her people? Read More

Great to have you Back !

Submitted by Terry on May 28, 2009 - 11:05pm.

Hi Mr. Gray, great to have you back!

Your "Freedom to Learn" blog is one
of my all time favorites.

So many kids nowadays have very little
opportunity to play freely. This is a huge
social experiment with disastrous effects.

Thanks for so eloquently pointing out
the importance of play.

Well put

Submitted by Peter Gray on May 31, 2009 - 9:26am.

Huge social experiment is right.
Throughout history, free play, in an age-mixed environment, has been the norm for children everywhere. It is how children, by the design of natural selection, learn what they need to know to become successful adults. The exceptions have been in those times and places of brutal child labor and, today, intense age-graded schooling and adult supervision so extreme that children have little freedom or opportunity for social play.
Thank you for your comment.

I can't wait to hear what you

Submitted by Lindsey on May 31, 2009 - 8:16am.

I can't wait to hear what you have to say! Do you recommend any books on this subject, by any chance?

I've noticed that the more competitive, status-oriented people in our culture are often easily offended by people disagreeing with them. I can't imagine playfulness doing anything but making them feel made fun of, even if that were not the intent. Is upbringing crucial in this regard, or are there things we can introduce to our lives as adults that can still help?

Making fun

Submitted by Peter Gray on May 31, 2009 - 9:32am.

Lindsey, thanks for your comment and question. You touch on a key issue: How can play and humor be used as a device for social control? A number of anthropologists who study hunter-gatherers have commented on the manner by which people in a band bring social offenders into line by making fun of their offensive behavior. How does this work without just creating more antagonism? It's a fascinating question, which I will discuss as part of my next post.