title: Vasopressin, but not oxytocin, increases empathic concern among individuals who received higher levels of paternal warmth: A randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Empathy improves our ability to communicate in social interactions and motivates prosocial behavior. The neuropeptides arginine vasopressin and oxytocin play key roles in socioemotional processes such as pair bonding and parental care, which suggests that they may be involved in empathic processing.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated how vasopressin and oxytocin affect empathic responding in a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled, between-subjects study design. We also examined the moderating role of parental warmth, as reported in the early family environment, on empathic responding following vasopressin, oxytocin, or placebo administration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among participants who reported higher levels of paternal warmth (but not maternal warmth), vasopressin (vs. placebo and oxytocin) increased ratings of empathic concern after viewing distressing and uplifting videos. No main or interaction effects were found for individuals who received oxytocin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vasopressin has a role in enhancing empathy among individuals who received higher levels of paternal warmth.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  NCT01680718.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California - Los Angeles, CA, United States. Electronic address: btabak@psych.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Benjamin A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Tabak
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California - Los Angeles, CA, United States.
authors.forename: Meghan L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California - Los Angeles, CA, United States.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Castle
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California - Los Angeles, CA, United States.
authors.forename: Janine M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dutcher
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California - Los Angeles, CA, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California - Los Angeles, CA, United States; Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California - Los Angeles, CA, United States; Semel Institute for Neuroscience, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California - Los Angeles, CA, United States.
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Irwin
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California - Los Angeles, CA, United States.
authors.forename: Jung H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California - Los Angeles, CA, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California - Los Angeles, CA, United States.
authors.forename: Matthew D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Lieberman
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California - Los Angeles, CA, United States.
authors.forename: Naomi I
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Eisenberger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004645:Empathy / Q000187:drug effects*; D005219:Father-Child Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012919:Social Behavior; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014667:Vasopressins; D010121:Oxytocin
keywords: Empathic concern; Intranasal administration; Oxytocin; Paternal warmth; Vasopressin