Citation

Zheng H, Kendrick KM, Yu R. Horm. Behav. 2016; 85: 12-18.

Affiliation

School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application and Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong Province, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Psychology, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Neurobiology/Ageing Programme, Center for Life Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Institute for Neurotechnology (SINAPSE), Center for Life Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore. Electronic address: psyyr@nus.edu.sg.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.07.003

PMID

27444251

Abstract

People may choose non-cooperation in social dilemmas either out of fear (if others choose to defect) or out of greed (when others choose to cooperate). Previous studies have shown that exogenous oxytocin motivates a "tend and defend" pattern in inter-group conflict in which oxytocin stimulates in-group cooperation and out-group defense. Using a double-blind placebo-controlled design combined with a modified Prisoner's dilemma game (PDG), we examined the effect of oxytocin on social motivations in inter-individual conflict in men.

RESULTS showed that compared with the placebo group, oxytocin-exposed participants were less cooperative in general. Specifically, oxytocin amplified the effect of fear on defection but did not influence the effect of greed. Another non-social control study confirmed participants' decisions were sensitive to social factors. Our findings suggest that even when social group conflict is removed, oxytocin promotes distrust of strangers in "me and you" inter-individual conflict by elevating social fear in men.

Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Language: en