Oxytocin increases the likeability of physically formidable men
Journal article
Chen, Frances S., Mayer, Jennifer, Mussweiler, Thomas and Heinrichs, Markus. (2014). Oxytocin increases the likeability of physically formidable men. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. 10(6), pp. 797 - 800. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsu116
Authors | Chen, Frances S., Mayer, Jennifer, Mussweiler, Thomas and Heinrichs, Markus |
---|---|
Abstract | Physical size and strength are associated with dominance and threat. The current study tested (i) whether men’s evaluations of male strangers would be negatively influenced by cues indicating physical formidability, and (ii) whether these evaluations would be influenced by oxytocin, a neuropeptide that mediates social behavior and reduces social anxiety. In a placebo-controlled double-blind design, we administered either oxytocin (24 I.U.) or placebo intranasally to 100 healthy males and assessed their responses to an image of either a physically formidable (strong) or physically non-formidable (weak) male peer. Whereas participants receiving placebo expressed dislike and avoidance of the strong male relative to the weak male, oxytocin selectively improved social evaluation of the strong male. These results provide first evidence that oxytocin regulates social evaluation of peers based on body features indicating strength and formidability. We discuss the possibility that oxytocin may promote the expansion of social networks by increasing openness toward potentially threatening individuals. |
Keywords | social perception; social evaluation; oxytocin; neuropeptides; body morphology |
Year | 2014 |
Journal | Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience |
Journal citation | 10 (6), pp. 797 - 800 |
Publisher | Oxford University Press |
ISSN | 1749-5016 |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsu116 |
Page range | 797 - 800 |
Publisher's version | File Access Level Controlled |
Place of publication | United Kingdom |
https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/86345/oxytocin-increases-the-likeability-of-physically-formidable-men
Restricted files
Publisher's version
116
total views0
total downloads5
views this month0
downloads this month