Intranasal vasopressin expedites dishonesty in women

As an integral ingredient of human sociality, dishonesty can be both egocentric and altruistic, as well as gradually escalate. Here, we examined the influence of arginine vasopressin (AVP), a neuropeptide associated with human prosocial behaviors, on dishonest behaviors in men and women. In this double-blind and placebo-controlled study, 101 participants were randomized to administration of either 20 IU intranasal AVP or placebo. We used a two-party task to manipulate the incentive structure of dishonesty in the way of self-/other-serving repeatedly. For lies that benefit both themselves and others, women receiving intranasal AVP lied more than women receiving intranasal placebo and men receiving intranasal AVP. The dishonest behavior of women treated with AVP gradually escalated with repetition over time. These results suggest that AVP selectively regulates the escalation of dishonesty in women, contingent on the motivation of dishonesty. Our findings provide insight into gender-specific modulations of AVP on human dishonest behavior.