title: The Neuropeptide Oxytocin Induces a Social Altruism Bias.
abstract: Current psychological concepts of social and ecological responsibility emphasize the relevance of altruism, suggesting that more altruistic individuals are more likely to engage in sustainable behaviors. Emerging evidence indicates a central role of the neuropeptide oxytocin in promoting altruism. Whether this influence extends to ecological responsibility or is limited to the social domain remains unknown. In two independent experiments involving 172 human participants, we addressed this question by exposing subjects to a sustainability-related monetary donation task, with the option to support either socially or ecologically framed charities. We found that oxytocin induced a context-dependent change in altruistic behavior away from pro-environmental toward pro-social donations, while keeping constant the overall proportion of donated money. This pro-social bias transcended to the domain of sustainable consumption. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that altruistic priorities vary as a function of oxytocin system activity, which has implications for the promotion of pro-environmental attitudes and eco-friendly behaviors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Individual responses to ecological and social sustainability require a shift in personal priorities away from selfish to more altruistic behaviors. Emerging evidence indicates a central role of the hypothalamic peptide oxytocin in promoting altruism, but whether the influence of oxytocin benefits altruistic decision-making in the context of ecological and social sustainability is unclear. In two independent behavioral experiments involving 172 human subjects, we show that heightened oxytocin system activity induces a social altruism bias at the cost of ecological responsibility. Our results have fundamental implications for policy interventions and business strategies designed to sustain ecological resources by suggesting that a social framing may attract more individuals to engage in pro-environmental and eco-friendly behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Psychiatry and Division of Medical Psychology, University of Bonn Medical Center, 53105 Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Marsh
authors.affiliation: Departments of Psychiatry and Division of Medical Psychology, University of Bonn Medical Center, 53105 Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7613-0376
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Scheele
authors.affiliation: Center for Economics and Neuroscience, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Holger
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5045-2326
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gerhardt
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Strang
authors.affiliation: Epileptology and Center for Economics and Neuroscience, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany, Department of NeuroCognition/Imaging, Life and Brain Center, 53127 Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Enax
authors.affiliation: Epileptology and Center for Economics and Neuroscience, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany, Department of NeuroCognition/Imaging, Life and Brain Center, 53127 Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.affiliation: Departments of Psychiatry and German Center of Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Helmholtz Association, 53175 Bonn, Germany, and.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Maier
authors.affiliation: Departments of Psychiatry and Division of Medical Psychology, University of Bonn Medical Center, 53105 Bonn, Germany, renehurlemann@icloud.com.
authors.forename: René
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2628-565X
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hurlemann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000533:Altruism; D003657:Decision Making / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D012919:Social Behavior; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010121:Oxytocin
keywords: altruism; decision-making; oxytocin; sustainability