Loading...
Intranasal oxytocin enhances positive self-attribution in healthy men
Colonnello, Valentina Heinrichs, Markus
Colonnello, Valentina
Heinrichs, Markus
Abstract
Objective: A growing body of studies consistently demonstrates that social responsiveness toward others is influenced by the neurohormone oxytocin. However, the potential role of oxytocin for self-perception remains relatively unexplored. Thus, we investigated whether oxytocin administration influences the self-attribution of positive and negative adjectives at the early, effortful stage of self-related information processing. Methods: Sixty healthy male participants received either 24 I.U. oxytocin or a placebo in a randomized double-blind study before completing a sorting task, in which they were instructed to co-classify, as fast as possible, positive and negative adjectives into either self or non-self categories. Results: Oxytocin-treated participants reported stronger positive attitudes toward themselves compared to placebo. Conclusions: The present findings demonstrate that oxytocin administration influences the early stage of self-related information processing and suggests that the oxytocinergic system might be involved in psychopathological conditions characterized by a negative representation of self.
Keywords
oxytocin, intranasal, self, social cognition
Date
2014
Type
Journal article
Journal
Journal of Psychosomatic Research
Book
Volume
77
Issue
5
Page Range
415-419
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
File Access
Controlled