Oxytocin conditions trait-based rule adherence.
Rules, whether in the form of norms, taboos or laws, regulate and coordinate human life. Some rules, however, are arbitrary and adhering to them can be personally costly. Rigidly sticking to such rules can be considered maladaptive. Here, we test whether, at the neurobiological level, (mal)adaptive rule adherence is reduced by oxytocin-a hypothalamic neuropeptide that biases the biobehavioural approach-avoidance system. Participants (N = 139) self-administered oxytocin or placebo intranasally, and reported their need for structure and approach-avoidance sensitivity. Next, participants made binary decisions and were given an arbitrary rule that demanded to forgo financial benefits. Under oxytocin, participants violated the rule more often, especially when they had high need for structure and high approach sensitivity. Possibly, oxytocin dampens the need for a highly structured environment and enables individuals to flexibly trade-off internal desires against external restrictions. Implications for the treatment of clinical disorders marked by maladaptive rule adherence are discussed.
Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.|University of Amsterdam, Center for Experimental Economics and Political Decision Making (CREED), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Jörg
J
Gross
University of Amsterdam, Center for Experimental Economics and Political Decision Making (CREED), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.|Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Carsten K W
CK
De Dreu
D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000328:Adult; D002605:Character; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003657:Decision Making / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology; D012201:Reward; D012925:Social Conformity; D012941:Social Responsibility; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D010121:Oxytocin
behavioural approach; need for structure; norms; oxytocin; rule adherence
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