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The neuropeptide oxytocin regulates parochial altruism in intergroup conflict among humans. (2010)

“Oxytocin drives a “tend and defend” response in that it promoted in-group trust and cooperation, and defensive, but not offensive, aggression toward competing out-groups.

 

Carsten K.W. De Dreu, Lindred L. Greer, Michel J.J. Handgraaf (Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam) et al.
Published in Science 2010; 328: 1408-1411.

Humans regulate intergroup conflict through parochial altruism; they self-sacrifice to contribute to in-group welfare and to aggress against competing out-groups. Parochial altruism has distinct survival functions, and the brain may have evolved to sustain and promote in-group cohesion and effectiveness and to ward off threatening out-groups.

Here, we have linked oxytocin, a neuropeptide produced in the hypothalamus, to the regulation of intergroup conflict.

In three experiments using double-blind placebo-controlled designs, male participants self-administered oxytocin or placebo and made decisions with financial consequences to themselves, their in-group, and a competing out-group. Results showed that oxytocin drives a “tend and defend” response in that it promoted in-group trust and cooperation, and defensive, but not offensive, aggression toward competing out-groups.

View the paper here: The neuropeptide oxytocin regulates parochial altruism in intergroup conflict among humans. (2010)

 

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