Endogenous Oxytocin Release Eliminates In-Group Bias in Monetary Transfers With Perspective-Taking
Oxytocin (OT) has been shown to facilitate trust, empathy and other prosocial behaviors. At the same time, there is evidence that exogenous OT infusion may not result in prosocial behaviors in all contexts, increasing in-group biases in a number of studies. The current investigation seeks to resolve...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2018-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00035/full |
| _version_ | 1828880670612520960 |
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| author | Elizabeth T. Terris Laura E. Beavin Jorge A. Barraza Jeff Schloss Paul J. Zak |
| author_facet | Elizabeth T. Terris Laura E. Beavin Jorge A. Barraza Jeff Schloss Paul J. Zak |
| author_sort | Elizabeth T. Terris |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Oxytocin (OT) has been shown to facilitate trust, empathy and other prosocial behaviors. At the same time, there is evidence that exogenous OT infusion may not result in prosocial behaviors in all contexts, increasing in-group biases in a number of studies. The current investigation seeks to resolve this inconsistency by examining if endogenous OT release is associated with in-group bias. We studied a large group of participants (N = 399) in existing groups and randomly formed groups. Participants provided two blood samples to measure the change in OT after a group salience task and then made computer-mediated monetary transfer decisions to in-group and out-group members. Our results show that participants with an increase in endogenous OT showed no bias in monetary offers in the ultimatum game (UG) to out-group members compared to in-groups. There was also no bias in accepting UG offers, though in-group bias persisted for a unilateral monetary transfer. Our analysis shows that the strength of identification with one’s group diminished the effects that an increase in OT had on reducing bias, but bias only recurred when group identification reached 87% of its maximum value. Our results indicate that the endogenous OT system appears to reduce in-group bias in some contexts, particularly those that require perspective-taking. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T09:52:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fedaaa36c18a43ee8a48d4b0d77d3585 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1662-5153 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T09:52:34Z |
| publishDate | 2018-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-fedaaa36c18a43ee8a48d4b0d77d35852022-12-21T23:51:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience1662-51532018-03-011210.3389/fnbeh.2018.00035314841Endogenous Oxytocin Release Eliminates In-Group Bias in Monetary Transfers With Perspective-TakingElizabeth T. Terris0Laura E. Beavin1Jorge A. Barraza2Jeff Schloss3Paul J. Zak4Center for Neuroeconomics Studies, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA, United StatesCenter for Neuroeconomics Studies, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA, United StatesCenter for Neuroeconomics Studies, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA, United StatesDepartment of Biology, Westmont College, Santa Barbara, CA, United StatesCenter for Neuroeconomics Studies, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA, United StatesOxytocin (OT) has been shown to facilitate trust, empathy and other prosocial behaviors. At the same time, there is evidence that exogenous OT infusion may not result in prosocial behaviors in all contexts, increasing in-group biases in a number of studies. The current investigation seeks to resolve this inconsistency by examining if endogenous OT release is associated with in-group bias. We studied a large group of participants (N = 399) in existing groups and randomly formed groups. Participants provided two blood samples to measure the change in OT after a group salience task and then made computer-mediated monetary transfer decisions to in-group and out-group members. Our results show that participants with an increase in endogenous OT showed no bias in monetary offers in the ultimatum game (UG) to out-group members compared to in-groups. There was also no bias in accepting UG offers, though in-group bias persisted for a unilateral monetary transfer. Our analysis shows that the strength of identification with one’s group diminished the effects that an increase in OT had on reducing bias, but bias only recurred when group identification reached 87% of its maximum value. Our results indicate that the endogenous OT system appears to reduce in-group bias in some contexts, particularly those that require perspective-taking.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00035/fullprosocialityneuroendocrinologyselfishnessmonetary exchangebias |
| spellingShingle | Elizabeth T. Terris Laura E. Beavin Jorge A. Barraza Jeff Schloss Paul J. Zak Endogenous Oxytocin Release Eliminates In-Group Bias in Monetary Transfers With Perspective-Taking Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience prosociality neuroendocrinology selfishness monetary exchange bias |
| title | Endogenous Oxytocin Release Eliminates In-Group Bias in Monetary Transfers With Perspective-Taking |
| title_full | Endogenous Oxytocin Release Eliminates In-Group Bias in Monetary Transfers With Perspective-Taking |
| title_fullStr | Endogenous Oxytocin Release Eliminates In-Group Bias in Monetary Transfers With Perspective-Taking |
| title_full_unstemmed | Endogenous Oxytocin Release Eliminates In-Group Bias in Monetary Transfers With Perspective-Taking |
| title_short | Endogenous Oxytocin Release Eliminates In-Group Bias in Monetary Transfers With Perspective-Taking |
| title_sort | endogenous oxytocin release eliminates in group bias in monetary transfers with perspective taking |
| topic | prosociality neuroendocrinology selfishness monetary exchange bias |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00035/full |
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