Play and laughter: overlooked pillars of social cohesion. Commentary proposal for structural and cognitive mechanisms of group cohesion in primates

While grooming and other forms of physical bonding are crucial for stress management, social play and laughter deserve equal recognition as tools for both stress relief and the reinforcement of social relationships. They play a pivotal role in the development of motor and social skills and serves as a foundational behavior in species that rely on cooperation and alliance-building.