Oxytocin changes behavior and spatio-temporal brain dynamics underlying inter-group conflict in humans
Journal article
Schiller, Bastian, Domes, Gregor and Heinrichs, Markus. (2020). Oxytocin changes behavior and spatio-temporal brain dynamics underlying inter-group conflict in humans. European Neuropsychopharmacology. 31, pp. 119-130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2019.12.109
Authors | Schiller, Bastian, Domes, Gregor and Heinrichs, Markus |
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Abstract | Inter-group conflicts drive human discrimination, mass migration, and violence, but their psychobiological mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated whether the neuropeptide oxytocin modulates behavior and spatio-temporal brain dynamics in naturalistic inter-group conflict. Eighty-six male members of natural rival social groups received either oxytocin or placebo intranasally. In a decision-making paradigm involving real monetary stakes, participants could sacrifice their own resources to modulate the monetary gains and losses of in- and out-group members. Oxytocin eliminated the reduction in out-group gains – particularly in individuals with low emotional empathy, whereas those given placebo exhibited this negative social behavior. Our spatio-temporal analysis of event-related potentials elicited by outcome valuation revealed that oxytocin replaced a neurophysiological process associated with the negative valuation of out-group gains via a process associated with positive valuation between 200-500ms after outcome presentation. Oxytocin thus seems to modulate inter-group behavior in humans via a specific alteration of valuation-related brain dynamics. |
Keywords | decision-making; empathy; inter-group conflict; oxytocin; social groups; spatio-temporal brain dynamics |
Year | 2020 |
Journal | European Neuropsychopharmacology |
Journal citation | 31, pp. 119-130 |
Publisher | Elsevier B.V. |
ISSN | 0924-977X |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2019.12.109 |
Scopus EID | 2-s2.0-85076988970 |
Research or scholarly | Research |
Page range | 119-130 |
Publisher's version | License All rights reserved File Access Level Controlled |
Output status | Published |
Publication dates | |
Online | 26 Dec 2019 |
Publication process dates | |
Accepted | 08 Dec 2019 |
Deposited | 11 Jul 2021 |
https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/8w589/oxytocin-changes-behavior-and-spatio-temporal-brain-dynamics-underlying-inter-group-conflict-in-humans
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