Kim Eun Young, Sul Sunhae, Lee Min Woo, Lim Kyung-Ok, Shin Na Young, Kim Sung Nyun, Kwon Jun Soo, Kim Hackjin
Department of Occupational Therapy, Soonchunhyang University, Asan-si 31538, Korea.
Department of Psychology, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Korea.
Brain Sci. 2021 Sep 17;11(9):1227. doi: 10.3390/brainsci11091227.
Oxytocin (OXT) is known to affect various social processes, including social comparisons and intergroup competition. In this study, we examined whether social comparisons in intergroup situations can be modulated by OXT and, if so, how this modulation manifests. Using a double-blind placebo-controlled design, we randomly assigned male participants to either OXT or placebo treatment and then asked them to play a card game with either an in-group or an out-group member. The OXT-treated participants showed a greater social comparison effect in the games with an out-group member than in games with an in-group member. Specifically, the participants in the OXT treatment condition showed a greater acceptance rate for relative gain (downward comparison) and a lower acceptance rate for relative loss (upward comparison) while playing with an out-group member rather than an in-group member. In contrast, no such effect was observed among placebo-treated participants. These findings demonstrate that OXT facilitates intergroup social comparisons with out-group versus in-group members.
已知催产素（OXT）会影响各种社会行为，包括社会比较和群体间竞争。在本研究中，我们探讨了群体间情境下的社会比较是否会受到催产素的调节，若会受到调节，这种调节又是如何表现的。我们采用双盲安慰剂对照设计，将男性参与者随机分为催产素治疗组或安慰剂治疗组，然后让他们与同组或异组成员玩纸牌游戏。与同组成员玩游戏相比，接受催产素治疗的参与者在与异组成员玩游戏时表现出更大的社会比较效应。具体而言，在与异组成员而非同组成员玩游戏时，接受催产素治疗的参与者对相对收益（向下比较）的接受率更高，对相对损失（向上比较）的接受率更低。相比之下，在接受安慰剂治疗的参与者中未观察到这种效应。这些发现表明，催产素促进了与异组成员而非同组成员之间的群体间社会比较。
