Cherki Boaz R, Winter Eyal, Mankuta David, Zerbib Shirli, Israel Salomon
Psychology Department, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus Campus, Mt. Scopus, Jerusalem, 9190501, Israel.
The Federmann Center for the Study of Rationality, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond Safra Campus, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel.
Commun Psychol. 2024 Mar 9;2(1):18. doi: 10.1038/s44271-024-00066-9.
The neuropeptide hormone oxytocin and the steroid hormone testosterone have received attention as modulators of behavior in the context of intergroup conflict. However, to date, their interactive effect has yet to be tested. Here, in a double-blind placebo-control design, 204 participants (102 female participants) self-administrated oxytocin or placebo and completed an experimental economic game modeling intergroup conflict. Salivary testosterone (n = 192) was measured throughout the task to assess endogenous reactivity. As a caveat, even at this sample size, our derived power to detect small effects for 2- and 3-way interactions was relatively low. For male participants, changes in testosterone predicted willingness to sacrifice investments for the betterment of the group. Intranasal administration of oxytocin strongly diminished this effect. In female participants, we found no credible evidence for association between changes in testosterone and investments, rather, oxytocin effects were independent of testosterone. This 3-way interaction was of medium to large effect size (Odds Ratio 5.11). Behavior was also affected by social cues such as signaling of ingroup and outgroup members. Our findings provide insights as to the biological processes underpinning parochial altruism and suggest an additional path for the dual influence of oxytocin and testosterone on human social behavior.
神经肽激素催产素和类固醇激素睾酮作为群体间冲突背景下行为的调节因子受到了关注。然而，迄今为止，它们的交互作用尚未得到测试。在此，在一项双盲安慰剂对照设计中，204名参与者（102名女性参与者）自行服用催产素或安慰剂，并完成了一个模拟群体间冲突的实验性经济游戏。在整个任务过程中测量唾液睾酮（n = 192）以评估内源性反应性。需要说明的是，即使在这个样本量下，我们检测二因素和三因素交互作用微小效应的统计功效相对较低。对于男性参与者，睾酮的变化预测了为群体利益而牺牲投资的意愿。经鼻给予催产素强烈减弱了这种效应。在女性参与者中，我们没有发现睾酮变化与投资之间存在关联的可靠证据，相反，催产素的效应独立于睾酮。这种三因素交互作用的效应大小为中等到较大（优势比5.11）。行为也受到诸如内群体和外群体成员信号等社会线索的影响。我们的研究结果为狭隘利他主义背后的生物学过程提供了见解，并提出了催产素和睾酮对人类社会行为双重影响的另一条途径。
