4. The method of claim 1 wherein: capturing actions taken by the user includes determining which type of items are purchased online by the user; and automatically determining a play personality of the user is based, at least in part, on which type of items are purchased online by the user.
1. A method comprising: capturing, using one or more computing devices, actions taken by a user within an online environment; wherein capturing actions includes at least one of: determining which type of items are purchased online by the user; determining which type of computer programs are downloaded and/or used by the user; determining topics reflected in electronic communications of the user; determining topics reflected in items purchased online by the user; determining to which online social communities the user belongs; determining interests reflected in comments made by the user in online social applications; determining persons to whom the user is socially connected in online social applications; capturing how an avatar of the user interacts with one or more other characters in the online environment; randomly inserting questions that relate to play personality with other questions presented to the user within an online game environment; capturing one or more images of the user as the user engages in an activity within the online environment; detecting eye movement of the user as the user engages in an activity within the online environment; detecting pupil size changes of the user as the user engages in an activity within the online environment;  or monitoring how the user makes purchases at or interacts with virtual stores or venues; wherein capturing actions further comprises presenting an online assessment that includes a series of questions designed to assess which play type, of a plurality of play types, satisfies the user's need for play; automatically determining a play personality of the user based, at least in part, on the actions of the user that are captured using the one or more computing devices; wherein automatically determining the play personality of the user comprises: estimating a degree to which each of the plurality of play types satisfies the user's need for play; and determining that one or more particular play types, of the plurality of play types, best satisfy the user's need for play; wherein the plurality of play types includes two or more of: Object, Pretend, Social, Rough and Tumble, Body, Exploratory, Celebratory, Competitive, Ritual, Narrative, Fantasy or Games/Gaming; storing play personality data that reflects the play personality of the user; and wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.