Final answer:
The Surplus Energy Theory, developed by Herbert Spencer, suggests that play activities in children are a result of the need to burn excess energy. It explains how children imitate adult behaviors, like 'playing house', in order to make up for the loss of energy as they age.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Surplus Energy Theory, developed by Herbert Spencer in the mid-1800s, suggests that play activities in children, such as imitating adult behaviors like 'playing house', are a result of the need to burn excess energy. According to this theory, as humans age, their energy diminishes, leading them to select personal goals that optimize their efforts to compensate for this loss.
The theory is related to the concept of extrasomatic energy, which refers to the use of energy outside the human body. The use of fire, for example, was a significant ecological development because it was the first deliberate use of extrasomatic energy.
Overall, the theory emphasizes the spontaneous learning experience of children, who would observe and imitate slightly older children or peers. Playing games based on mimicry of adult behavior was common in hunter-gatherer societies and allowed children to learn and develop basic behavioral characteristics.