Oxytocin effect on collective decision making: a randomized placebo controlled study
Collective decision making often benefits both the individuals and the group in a variety of contexts. However, for the group to be successful, individuals should be able to strike a balance between their level of competence and their influence on the collective decisions. The hormone oxytocin has b...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science
2016
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| _version_ | 1797096692277837824 |
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| author | Hertz, U Kelly, M Rutledge, R Winston, J Wright, N Dolan, R Bahrami, B |
| author_facet | Hertz, U Kelly, M Rutledge, R Winston, J Wright, N Dolan, R Bahrami, B |
| author_sort | Hertz, U |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Collective decision making often benefits both the individuals and the group in a variety of contexts. However, for the group to be successful, individuals should be able to strike a balance between their level of competence and their influence on the collective decisions. The hormone oxytocin has been shown to promote trust, conformism and attention to social cues. We wondered if this hormone may increase participants' (unwarranted) reliance on their partners' opinion, resulting in a reduction in collective benefit by disturbing the balance between influence and competence. To test this hypothesis we employed a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled design in which male dyads self-administered intranasal oxytocin or placebo and then performed a visual search task together. Compared to placebo, collective benefit did not decrease under oxytocin. Using an exploratory time dependent analysis, we observed increase in collective benefit over time under oxytocin. Moreover, trial-by-trial analysis showed that under oxytocin the more competent member of each dyad was less likely to change his mind during disagreements, while the less competent member showed a greater willingness to change his mind and conform to the opinion of his more reliable partner. This role-dependent effect may be mediated by enhanced monitoring of own and other's performance level under oxytocin. Such enhanced social learning could improve the balance between influence and competence and lead to efficient and beneficial collaboration. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T04:45:09Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:d300fdf9-fb6d-44d3-91f2-2572c2922199 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T04:45:09Z |
| publishDate | 2016 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:d300fdf9-fb6d-44d3-91f2-2572c29221992022-03-27T08:08:10ZOxytocin effect on collective decision making: a randomized placebo controlled studyJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:d300fdf9-fb6d-44d3-91f2-2572c2922199EnglishSymplectic Elements at OxfordPublic Library of Science2016Hertz, UKelly, MRutledge, RWinston, JWright, NDolan, RBahrami, BCollective decision making often benefits both the individuals and the group in a variety of contexts. However, for the group to be successful, individuals should be able to strike a balance between their level of competence and their influence on the collective decisions. The hormone oxytocin has been shown to promote trust, conformism and attention to social cues. We wondered if this hormone may increase participants' (unwarranted) reliance on their partners' opinion, resulting in a reduction in collective benefit by disturbing the balance between influence and competence. To test this hypothesis we employed a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled design in which male dyads self-administered intranasal oxytocin or placebo and then performed a visual search task together. Compared to placebo, collective benefit did not decrease under oxytocin. Using an exploratory time dependent analysis, we observed increase in collective benefit over time under oxytocin. Moreover, trial-by-trial analysis showed that under oxytocin the more competent member of each dyad was less likely to change his mind during disagreements, while the less competent member showed a greater willingness to change his mind and conform to the opinion of his more reliable partner. This role-dependent effect may be mediated by enhanced monitoring of own and other's performance level under oxytocin. Such enhanced social learning could improve the balance between influence and competence and lead to efficient and beneficial collaboration. |
| spellingShingle | Hertz, U Kelly, M Rutledge, R Winston, J Wright, N Dolan, R Bahrami, B Oxytocin effect on collective decision making: a randomized placebo controlled study |
| title | Oxytocin effect on collective decision making: a randomized placebo controlled study |
| title_full | Oxytocin effect on collective decision making: a randomized placebo controlled study |
| title_fullStr | Oxytocin effect on collective decision making: a randomized placebo controlled study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Oxytocin effect on collective decision making: a randomized placebo controlled study |
| title_short | Oxytocin effect on collective decision making: a randomized placebo controlled study |
| title_sort | oxytocin effect on collective decision making a randomized placebo controlled study |
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