Loading...
Oxytocin changes behavior and spatio-temporal brain dynamics underlying inter-group conflict in humans
Schiller, Bastian Domes, Gregor Heinrichs, Markus
Schiller, Bastian
Domes, Gregor
Heinrichs, Markus
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
Date
2020
Type
Journal article
Journal
European Neuropsychopharmacology
Book
Volume
31
Issue
Page Range
119-130
Article Number
ACU Department
School of Behavioural and Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
All rights reserved
File Access
Controlled