Being playful is often associated to kids. Adults who are playful or have a zest for life are often seen as immature. A study shows though that playful people are more effective at tasks.

Playfulness in adults are seen as a sign of immaturity. That might change though as being playful could mean that such people are observant and have a tendency to look at things in a new way. Psychologists from the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) have made this observation in their study.

Research in playfulness among adults has not been as much as those done on children. Playfulness in adults then has been little understood. With the study, Dr. Rene Proyer from the Department of Psychology has looked into the studies and surveys done to 3,000 people. The study has found that people who describe themselves as playful have been viewed by others to be much so.

Four types of playful adults have been identified through the study, according to the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg's site. Other-directed playfulness are those who like to fool around friends and family. Lighthearted playful people are those who see like as a sort of game. Intellectually playful people are those who play around ideas and thoughts, while there are whimsical playful people who have an interest in strange ideas.

With the four categories, the study has shown that playfulness in adults can come in different ways. Playfulness could be seen then as a positive trait, as Science Daily reports. This would not be easy though as many people still see playfulness in adults as a sign the person is immature. Many people still do not take playful adults seriously.

Dr. Proyer has said that such attitudes must change, as playful people can look at issues in a different way and could have unconventional solutions. Playfulness in adults would be studied further by the psychologists at MLU. It could be seen that playful people are more effective at tasks. A study has also found that cultural differences could be found in DNA.