@article {172, title = {The neuropeptide oxytocin regulates parochial altruism in intergroup conflict among humans.}, journal = {Science}, volume = {328}, year = {2010}, month = {2010 Jun 11}, pages = {1408-11}, abstract = {

Humans regulate intergroup conflict through parochial altruism; they self-sacrifice to contribute to in-group welfare and to aggress against competing out-groups. Parochial altruism has distinct survival functions, and the brain may have evolved to sustain and promote in-group cohesion and effectiveness and to ward off threatening out-groups. Here, we have linked oxytocin, a neuropeptide produced in the hypothalamus, to the regulation of intergroup conflict. In three experiments using double-blind placebo-controlled designs, male participants self-administered oxytocin or placebo and made decisions with financial consequences to themselves, their in-group, and a competing out-group. Results showed that oxytocin drives a \"tend and defend\" response in that it promoted in-group trust and cooperation, and defensive, but not offensive, aggression toward competing out-groups.

}, keywords = {Aggression, Altruism, Conflict (Psychology), Cooperative Behavior, Decision Making, Double-Blind Method, Game Theory, Group Processes, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Oxytocin, Trust, Young Adult}, issn = {1095-9203}, doi = {10.1126/science.1189047}, author = {De Dreu, Carsten K W and Greer, Lindred L and Handgraaf, Michel J J and Shalvi, Shaul and Van Kleef, Gerben A and Baas, Matthijs and Ten Velden, Femke S and Van Dijk, Eric and Feith, Sander W W} }