Oxytocin increases the social salience of the outgroup in potential threat contexts

Author(s)

Egito, Julia H. ^{[1, 2]} ; Nevat, Michael ^{[3, 4]} ; Shamay-Tsoory, Simone G. ^{[3, 4]} ; Osorio, Ana Alexandra C. ^{[1, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Prebiteriana Mackenzie, Ctr Biol & Hlth Sci, Social & Cognit Neurosci Lab, Rua Piaui, 181 10 Andar, BR-01241001 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Prebiteriana Mackenzie, Ctr Biol & Hlth Sci, Dev Disorders Grad Program, Rua Piaui, 181 10 Andar, BR-01241001 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Haifa, Integrated Brain & Behav Res Ctr IBBR, IL-3498838 Haifa - Israel

^[4] Univ Haifa, Dept Psychol, IL-3498838 Haifa - Israel

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Hormones and Behavior; v. 122, JUN 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

A growing body of literature suggests that OT administration may affect not only prosocial outcomes, but also regulate adversarial responses in the context of intergroup relations. However, recent reports have challenged the view of a fixed role of OT in enhancing ingroup favoritism and outgroup derogation. Studying the potential effects of OT in modulating threat perception in a context characterized by racial miscegenation (Brazil) may thus afford additional clarification on the matter. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, White Brazilian participants completed a first-person shooter task to assess their responses towards potential threat from racial ingroup (White) or outgroup (Black) members. OT administration enhanced the social salience of the outgroup, by both increasing the rate at which participants refrained from shooting unarmed Black targets to levels similar to White targets, and by further increasing the rate of correct decisions to shoot armed Black targets (versus White armed targets). In summary, our results indicate that a single dose of OT may promote accurate behavioral responses to potential threat from members of a racial outgroup, thus offering support to the social salience hypothesis. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/17242-5 - Implicit and explicit racial bias, self-reported empathy and empathic responses to physical pain modulated by racial cues
• Grantee: Julia Horta Tabosa do Egito
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• FAPESP's process: 14/06777-0 - Oxytocin and racial bias: impact of the intranasal administration of oxytocin on empathy to physical pain and threat perceptions in racial contexts
• Grantee: Ana Alexandra Caldas Osório
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants