Journal Article

DZNE-2020-04522

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png A human tendency to anthropomorphize is enhanced by oxytocin.

Scheele, D. (Corresponding author) ; Schwering, C. ; Elison, J. T. ; Spunt, R. ; Maier, W.DZNE* ; Hurlemann, R.

2015
Elsevier Amsterdam

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Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1016/j.euroneuro.2015.05.009

Abstract: In the course of human evolution, the brain has evolved into a highly sensitive detector of social signals. As a consequence of this socially driven adaptation, humans display a tendency to anthropomorphize, that is they attribute social meaning to non-social agents. The evolutionarily highly conserved hypothalamic peptide oxytocin (OXT) has been identified as a key factor attaching salience to socially relevant cues, but whether it contributes to spontaneous anthropomorphism is still elusive. In the present study involving 60 healthy female participants, we measured salivary OXT concentrations and explored the effect of a single intranasal dose of synthetic OXT (24 IU) or placebo (PLC) on anthropomorphic tendencies during participants׳ verbal descriptions of short video clips depicting socially and non-socially moving geometric shapes. Our results show that endogenous OXT concentrations at baseline positively correlated with the attribution of animacy to social stimuli. While intranasal OXT had no modulatory effect on arousal ratings and did not make the participants more talkative, the treatment boosted anthropomorphic descriptions specifically for social stimuli. In conclusion, we here provide first evidence indicating that spontaneous anthropomorphism in women is facilitated by oxytocin, thereby enabling a context-specific upregulation of the propensity to anthropomorphize environmental cues.

Keyword(s): Administration, Intranasal (MeSH) ; Cognition: drug effects (MeSH) ; Double-Blind Method (MeSH) ; Female (MeSH) ; Humans (MeSH) ; Motion Perception: drug effects (MeSH) ; Oxytocin: administration & dosage (MeSH) ; Oxytocin: metabolism (MeSH) ; Photic Stimulation (MeSH) ; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales (MeSH) ; Psychological Tests (MeSH) ; Psychotropic Drugs: administration & dosage (MeSH) ; Psychotropic Drugs: metabolism (MeSH) ; Saliva: metabolism (MeSH) ; Social Perception (MeSH) ; Thinking: drug effects (MeSH) ; Verbal Behavior: drug effects (MeSH) ; Young Adult (MeSH) ; Psychotropic Drugs ; Oxytocin

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. U Clinical Researchers - Bonn (U Clinical Researchers - Bonn)

Research Program(s):

1. 344 - Clinical and Health Care Research (POF3-344) (POF3-344)

Appears in the scientific report 2015

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Database coverage:
; BIOSIS Previews ; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; Current Contents - Life Sciences ; Ebsco Academic Search ; IF < 5 ; JCR ; NCBI Molecular Biology Database ; Nationallizenz ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Web of Science Core Collection

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