Born Smart

Oxytocin plays an important role in relationships between people.  It affects behaviors such as generosity, trust, empathy and previous studies have shown oxytocin reinforces positive feelings.

The hormone has also previously been linked to higher aggression levels and researchers wanted to find out whether oxytocin also reinforce negative social sentiments.

56 Participants were asked to inhale oxytocin but half were given a placebo.  They were then asked to play a game with another competitor, who was without the knowledge of the participant a computer.  In the game participants were asked to choose one of three doors and was awarded a sum of money that was hidden behind the door.  Money awarded were sometimes more and other times less, creating conditions for gloating and envy.

The study was then performed again but the placebo was given to the other group that received oxytocin in the first trial.

Researchers found that when oxytocin was inhaled, levels of envy and gloating displayed were higher when more or less money was won than the other player.  Dr Simone Shamay Tsoory who conducted the experiment said, “Subsequent to these findings, we assume that the hormone is an overall trigger for social sentiments:  when the person’s association is positive, oxytocin bolsters pro-social behaviours; when the association is negative, the hormone increases negative sentiments.”

Oxytocin is considered as treatment for Autism, “The results of the present study show that the hormone’s undesirable effects on behavior must be examined before moving ahead.” said Dr Shamay-Tsoory.

http://wwwsciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091112095038.htm