title: The Neuropeptide Oxytocin Enhances Information Sharing and Group Decision Making Quality.
abstract: Groups can make better decisions than individuals when members cooperatively exchange and integrate their uniquely held information and insights. However, under conformity pressures group members are biased towards exchanging commonly known information, and away from exchanging unique information, thus undermining group decision-making quality. At the neurobiological level, conformity associates with the neuropeptide oxytocin. A double-blind placebo controlled study found no evidence for oxytocin induced conformity. Compared to placebo groups, three-person groups whose members received intranasal oxytocin, focused more on unique information (i) and repeated this information more often (ii). These findings reveal oxytocin as a neurobiological driver of group decision-making processes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 15919, 1001 NK Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Tim R W
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: De Wilde
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 15919, 1001 NK Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Femke S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Ten Velden
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9555, 2300 RB Leiden, The Netherlands.|Center for Experimental Economics and Political Decision Making, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 15551, 1001 NB Amsterdam, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Carsten K W
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: De Dreu
mesh_terms: D003657:Decision Making / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D017008:Negotiating; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D009479:Neuropeptides; D010121:Oxytocin