Oxytocin is associated with human trustworthiness.

Area of Science:

• Neuroendocrinology
• Social Psychology
• Behavioral Economics

Background:

• Human interpersonal trust is a fundamental aspect of social interaction, even with unfamiliar individuals.
• The neuroactive hormone oxytocin is known to play a role in social recognition in animal models.
• The relationship between oxytocin and human trustworthiness remains an area for investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between the neuroactive hormone oxytocin and human trustworthiness.
• To determine if oxytocin levels are modulated by perceived intentions of trust in social interactions.

Main Methods:

• An experiment was conducted utilizing the sequential anonymous "trust game" with monetary payoffs to measure trust and trustworthiness.
• Oxytocin levels were measured in subjects under conditions of intentional versus unintentional monetary transfers.
• Behavioral responses, specifically the reciprocation of trust, were recorded.

Main Results:

• Subjects exhibited higher oxytocin levels when receiving a monetary transfer perceived as an intentional act of trust compared to an unintentional transfer of equal value.
• Elevated oxytocin levels were positively correlated with trustworthy behavior, indicated by the reciprocation of trust.
• The observed oxytocin and behavioral responses were abolished in the absence of perceived intentionality.

Conclusions:

• Perceptions of intentionality in trust significantly influence circulating oxytocin levels in humans.
• Oxytocin is implicated in mediating human trustworthiness, particularly when trust is conveyed with clear intention.
• The findings highlight the neurobiological underpinnings of trust and intentionality in social decision-making.