Love Hormone 'Oxytocin' Makes Us More Accepting of Other People

A recent study says the hormone oxytocin, dubbed as the love/trust hormone, makes us more accepting of other people. This hormone is stimulated at the time of mating, birthing and breastfeeding.

Oxytocin is a neurotransmitter in the brain and plays a major role in pair bonding. It also helps combat fear.

In the present study, researchers discovered that this love hormone can sharpen the brain's self other differentiation. This function plays a crucial role in social bonding, interactions as well as tolerance of others. Oxytocin helps us make positive evaluations of other people.

"Social bonding, mutual support, mate preference and parental investment are all mediated by the oxytocinergic system, which is heavily reliant on a person's ability to appreciate that self and others are both different and valuable," Dr. Valentina Colonnello Ph.D,  Neuropsychoanalysis Foundation research grantee, said in a statement.

To prove this hypothesis, nearly 44 study participants were shown videos in which their faces were morphed into an unfamiliar face and vice-a-versa. The participants were asked to press a button the moment they recognized familiar features.  Prior to this test a few of them were treated with oxytocin.

The study conducted in collaboration with Dr. Markus Heinrichs from the Department of Psychology at the University of Freiburg in German, noticed that those who received oxytocin shots were quick at identifying new faces irrespective of whether it was their own face or that of a stranger. They also rated both their own face and that of a stranger as similarly pleasant. The participants who were treated with a placebo rated just their own face as more pleasant to look at than the unfamiliar ones

"The results of these studies advance our understanding of the role of the oxytocinergic system and could have far-reaching implications in the area of mother-infant bonding, the treatment of social disorders and for relationships in general," explained Dr. Colonnello.

This new finding is aligned with another recent study supported by the Neuropsychoanalysis Association, which studied the effects of oxytocin and psychotherapy on post-natal depressive mothers. No significant difference in the symptoms was noticed after the combined treatment but a drop in hostile and narcissistic tendencies in their behavior was observed.

The findings of this new research, "Oxytocin Sharpens Self-other Perceptual Boundary", was published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology.