Rowers' high: behavioural synchrony is correlated with elevated pain thresholds.
Physical exercise is known to stimulate the release of endorphins, creating a mild sense of euphoria that has rewarding properties. Using pain tolerance (a conventional non-invasive assay for endorphin release), we show that synchronized training in a college rowing crew creates a heightened endorphin surge compared with a similar training regime carried out alone. This heightened effect from synchronized activity may explain the sense of euphoria experienced during other social activities (such as laughter, music-making and dancing) that are involved in social bonding in humans and possibly other vertebrates.
Cohen
Emma E A
EE
Institute of Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Oxford, , 64 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 6PN, UK. emma.cohen@anthro.ox.ac.uk
Ejsmond-Frey
Robin
R
Knight
Nicola
N
Dunbar
R I M
RI
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004723:Endorphins / Q000378:metabolism; D004739:England; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D012919:Social Behavior; D013177:Sports
D004723:Endorphins