Oxytocin modulates third-party sanctioning of selfish and generous behavior within and between groups

Daughters, Katie ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5889-8464, Manstead, Antony Stephen Reid ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7540-2096, Ten Velden, Femke S. and De Dreu, Carsten K. W. 2017. Oxytocin modulates third-party sanctioning of selfish and generous behavior within and between groups. Psychoneuroendocrinology 77 , pp. 18-24. 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.11.039

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Abstract

Human groups function because members trust each other and reciprocate cooperative contributions, and reward others’ cooperation and punish their non-cooperation. Here we examined the possibility that such third-party punishment and reward of others’ trust and reciprocation is modulated by oxytocin, a neuropeptide generally involved in social bonding and in-group (but not out-group) serving behavior. Healthy males and females (N = 100) self-administered a placebo or 24 IU of oxytocin in a randomized, double-blind, between-subjects design. Participants were asked to indicate (incentivized, costly) their level of reward or punishment for in-group (outgroup) investors donating generously or fairly to in-group (outgroup) trustees, who back-transferred generously, fairly or selfishly. Punishment (reward) was higher for selfish (generous) investments and back-transfers when (i) investors were in-group rather than outgroup, and (ii) trustees were in-group rather than outgroup, especially when (iii) participants received oxytocin rather than placebo. It follows, first, that oxytocin leads individuals to ignore out-groups as long as out-group behavior is not relevant to the in-group and, second, that oxytocin contributes to creating and enforcing in-group norms of cooperation and trust.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Psychology
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Oxytocin; Parochial altruism; Competition; Endocrinology; Economic games
Additional Information:	This journal has an embargo period of 12 months https://www.elsevier.com/journals/psychoneuroendocrinology/0306-4530/open-access-options (accessed 9.12.16).
Publisher:	Elsevier
ISSN:	0306-4530
Funders:	ESRC
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	6 December 2016
Date of Acceptance:	29 November 2016
Last Modified:	05 May 2023 17:04
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/96647

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