title: Oxytocin Effect on Collective Decision Making: A Randomized Placebo Controlled Study.
abstract: Collective decision making often benefits both the individuals and the group in a variety of contexts. However, for the group to be successful, individuals should be able to strike a balance between their level of competence and their influence on the collective decisions. The hormone oxytocin has been shown to promote trust, conformism and attention to social cues. We wondered if this hormone may increase participants' (unwarranted) reliance on their partners' opinion, resulting in a reduction in collective benefit by disturbing the balance between influence and competence. To test this hypothesis we employed a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled design in which male dyads self-administered intranasal oxytocin or placebo and then performed a visual search task together. Compared to placebo, collective benefit did not decrease under oxytocin. Using an exploratory time dependent analysis, we observed increase in collective benefit over time under oxytocin. Moreover, trial-by-trial analysis showed that under oxytocin the more competent member of each dyad was less likely to change his mind during disagreements, while the less competent member showed a greater willingness to change his mind and conform to the opinion of his more reliable partner. This role-dependent effect may be mediated by enhanced monitoring of own and other's performance level under oxytocin. Such enhanced social learning could improve the balance between influence and competence and lead to efficient and beneficial collaboration.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, 17 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3AR, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Uri
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4852-3516
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hertz
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3UD, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.affiliation: Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom.|Max Planck University College London Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, London, WC1B 5EH, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Robb B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Rutledge
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, 17 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3AR, United Kingdom.|Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Winston
authors.affiliation: Institute for Conflict, Cooperation and Security, School of Government and Society, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom.|Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC, United States of America.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.affiliation: Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom.|Max Planck University College London Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, London, WC1B 5EH, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Raymond J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Dolan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, 17 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3AR, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Bahador
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bahrami
mesh_terms: D000281:Administration, Intranasal / Q000379:methods; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003463:Cues; D003657:Decision Making / Q000187:drug effects*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012919:Social Behavior; D012938:Social Perception; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010121:Oxytocin