Oxytocin Effect on Collective Decision Making: A Randomized Placebo Controlled Study.

ABSTRACT: Collective decision making often benefits both the individuals and the group in a variety of contexts. However, for the group to be successful, individuals should be able to strike a balance between their level of competence and their influence on the collective decisions. The hormone oxytocin has been shown to promote trust, conformism and attention to social cues. We wondered if this hormone may increase participants' (unwarranted) reliance on their partners' opinion, resulting in a reduction in collective benefit by disturbing the balance between influence and competence. To test this hypothesis we employed a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled design in which male dyads self-administered intranasal oxytocin or placebo and then performed a visual search task together. Compared to

SUBMITTER: Hertz U 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4829266 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature