Validating the Adult Playfulness Trait Scale (APTS) - An Examination of Personality, Behavior Attitude and Perception in the Nomological Network of Playfulness

Oct 15, 2026

Validating the Adult Playfulness Trait Scale (APTS) introduces a new self-report measurement assessing adults’ disposition for uninhibited, spontaneous fun. The framework integrates three personality paradigms and distinguishes latent dispositional qualities from overt playful behaviors, reducing circular reasoning in trait research. Two studies test correlations with theoretically related constructs and use known-group comparisons to show the APTS can differentiate individuals by playfulness levels. The instrument uses nineteen items across three cognitive subscales reflecting fun seeking, uninhibitedness, and spontaneity.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages25

Reading Time1 h 3 min

AccessFree to download

Overview

Development and theoretical framework

Measurement model and subscales

Validation evidence

Validating the Adult Playfulness Trait Scale (APTS) An Examination of Personality,"EHAVIOR􀀌 !TTITUDE􀀌 AND 0ERCEPTION IN THENomological Network of Playfulness s Xiangyou Sharon Shen Garry Chick Harry Zinn The authors discuss the Adult Playfulness Trait Scale (APTS), a measurement that they developed along with a conceptualization of playfulness based on a synthesis of personality research and play literature. They assert the research they conducted, which examined the nomological network of playfulness and involved relevant constructs of personality (self as entertainment), behavior (playing), attitude (goal attainment), and perception (leisure boredom), empirically validates the APTS. They present data from two studies to show correlations between the APTS and measures of theoretically related constructs to support their claims. In particular, they use results from known-group comparisons to illustrate that the APTS can successfully and effectively distinguish individuals with different levels of playfulness. They hope thereby not only to establish the validity of the APTS but to encourage its wider application in research on play. Keywords: Adult Playfulness Trait Scale; APTS; nomological network of playfulness; personality research; play; playfulness; play research; reliability studies; validating research instruments We have developed the Adult Playfulness Trait Scale (APTS), a new measurement of playfulness that assesses an individual’s disposition for uninhibited and spontaneous fun. We base our theory for the APTS on a new, integrated review of three major paradigms of personality research, namely the trait approach, social-cognitive theories, and the interactionist approach. We propose that, instead of considering traits as both internal psychological qualities and phenotypic states (i.e., the summary view of traits), we should focus on the internal dispositional qualities and strictly distinguish these from corresponding overt behavioral manifestations (i.e., a latent dispositional view of traits; Shen, Chick, and Zinn 2014) . 345 American Journal of Play, volume 6, number 3 © The Strong Contact Xiangyou Sharon Shen at [sshenpsu@gmail.com](sshenpsu@gmail.com) The summary view dominates the development of many trait inventories, including most playfulness studies (Barnett 1990; Glynn and Webster 1992, 1993; Lieberman 1977). Despite its popularity, the summary-trait concept lends itself to circular reasoning, especially when researchers use it to explain behavior, as we discuss in our review of the literature. The missing distinction between internal qualities and external state manifestations also commonly causes a “conﬂating”of“characteristics of playful behavior with dispositional qualities of the player”in playfulness research (Shen, Chick, and Zinn 2014). By contrast, the latentdisposition view avoids such circular reasoning by excluding the behavioral component from the trait conceptualization, making it theoretically tenable both to examine the relationship between the trait and behavior and to introduce a third component—situations—critical to studying trait-environment interaction in producing behaviors (i.e., the interactionist approach, Bowers 1973; Lewin 1936; Magnusson 1999) We derive the other important tenet of the theoretical framework forAPTS from the network view emphasized by social-cognitive theories (Cervone and Shoda 1999, Mischel and Shoda 1995, 1998) . Shen, Chick, and Zinn (2014) propose that, instead of an individual, nonreducible quality, a trait can be more appropriately considered a unique combination of interrelated cognitive qualities, qualities that often function together to drive a particualr type of behavior. This view acknowledges that a trait can often be multifaceted yet remain itself distinctively a trait. These two ideas deﬁne the latent-network trait conceptualization that guided the development of our concept and measuring instrument. Based on an exten

FAQs

What does the Adult Playfulness Trait Scale (APTS) measure?

It measures an individual’s disposition for uninhibited and spontaneous fun through a self-report instrument with three subscales.

How does the APTS conceptual framework avoid circular reasoning in playfulness research?

It strictly distinguishes internal dispositional qualities from overt behavioral manifestations, preventing explanations that loop back to behavior.

What evidence supports the APTS validity?

Two studies provide correlations with theoretically related constructs and known-group comparisons showing the APTS differentiates individuals across playfulness levels.

Oct 15, 2026

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