Oxytocin—a hormone that acts as a neurotransmitter. It is produced by the hypothalamus and stimulated by the pituitary gland. TLDR case studies
- Social Bonding: triggered by physical contact like hugs, fostering connections between partners, parents, and children, as well as influencing broader social emotions
- Effects on Behavior: administering oxytocin to healthy individuals associated with heightened feelings of trust and generosity
- Psychopathic Behavior: Deficiencies in oxytocin secretion linked to characteristics of psychopathic behavior, including shallow emotions, lack of guilt, and tendencies toward narcissism and criminality (Bryan et al. 2018)
| Case Studies | Deets |
|---|---|
| Romero et al. (2014) | Dogs |
| Kosfeld et al. (2005) | Trust game, transferring money units |
| Scheele et al. (2012) | Human males, distance avoidance game |
| De Dreu et al. (2012) | Intranasal oxytocin, same group cooperation |
Romero et al. (2014)
In a study by Romero et al. (2014), involving 16 dogs administered with intranasal oxytocin spray, dogs sprayed with the hormones displayed heightened affection towards their owners. Moreover, there was a correlation between the frequency of dog-owner interactions and oxytocin levels in the dogs, suggesting a bidirectional relationship where oxytocin both triggers and is influenced by social interactions.
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
| – Ascertaining that oxytocin does have a correlation with affection | – Generalizability of animal studies to humans – Individual difference of dogs (some breeds may happen to be more affectionate than others?) – Confounding variables, ie. environmental influence (hungrier/ unfamiliar place leads to more sticky behavior towards owners) |
Kosfeld et al. (2005)
In a study involving 130 young males, researchers explored the link between oxytocin and prosocial behavior using a trust game. Participants were assigned roles as investors and trustees, with monetary stakes involved
Findings
- Individuals under oxytocin demonstrated a higher tendency to transfer larger amounts of money
Specifically, 45% of the oxytocin group transferred the most money units compared to only 21% in the control group - Oxytocin reduces risk aversion and enhances interpersonal trust
Scheele et al. (2012)
Scheele et al. (2012) conducted a study examining the effects of intranasal oxytocin on the behavior of 90 men in monogamous relationships. The researchers observed that these men maintained a greater distance from attractive women compared to men who received a placebo. This suggested a potential link between oxytocin and fidelity in relationships.
Limitation—The sample size of 90 male participants in monogamous relationships, limiting the generalizability of the findings to broader populations. Moreover, focusing solely on male participants neglects potential gender differences in oxytocin’s effects on relationship behavior
De Dreu et al. (2012)
In a double-blind experiment by De Dreu et al. (2012), the role of oxytocin in intergroup conflict, particularly defense-motivated non-cooperation, was investigated. An independent measures design of 102 males who self-administered either oxytocin or a placebo via nasal spray. Participants were randomly assigned to three-person groups and engaged in a modified version of the “Prisoner’s dilemma” against another group. The game was structured in the way that both participant and out-group representative obtain even higher payoffs for their own group by non-cooperation.
Findings:
- Intergroup hostilities linked to greedy desire among members of one group to subordinate rivalling out-groups and acquire their resources
- Intranasal oxytocin players motivated more positive evaluations of the in-group compared to rivalling out-groups and at the same time not likely to sacrifice outgroup, compared to placebo group
Source
Bryan, C., Halkiopoulos, C., & Giddens, P. (2018). Psychology. Pearson UK.
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