Oxytocin and vulnerable romantic relationships

Grebe, Nicholas M.; Kristoffersen, Andreas Aarseth; Grøntvedt, Trond Viggo; Emery Thompson, Melissa; Kennair, Leif Edward Ottesen; Gangestad, Steven W.

doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.02.009

Cited by 35Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorAttachment and Relationship DynamicsEvolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior

Oxytocin and vulnerable romantic relationships

Grebe, Nicholas M., Kristoffersen, Andreas Aarseth, Grøntvedt, Trond Viggo, Emery Thompson, Melissa, Kennair, Leif Edward Ottesen, Gangestad, Steven W.·2017·Hormones and Behavior

DOI 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.02.009

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Abstract

Oxytocin (OT) has been implicated in the formation and maintenance of various social relationships, including human romantic relationships. Competing models predict, alternatively, positive or negative associations between naturally-occurring OT levels and romantic relationship quality. Empirical tests of these models have been equivocal. We propose a novel hypothesis ('Identify and Invest') that frames OT as an allocator of psychological investment toward valued, vulnerable relationships, and test this proposal in two studies. In one sample of 75 couples, and a second sample of 148 romantically involved individuals, we assess facets of relationships predicting changes in OT across a thought-writing task regarding one's partner. In both studies, participants' OT change across the task corresponded positively with multiple dimensions of high relationship involvement. However, increases in participants' OT also corresponded to their partners reporting lower relationship involvement. OT increases, then, reflected discrepancies between assessments of self and partner relationship involvement. These findings are robust in a combined analysis of both studies, and do not significantly differ between samples. Collectively, our findings support the 'Identify and Invest' hypothesis in romantic couples, and we argue for its relevance across other types of social bonds.

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Literature on oxytocin's effects on social cognition and behavior among romantic couples has yielded mixed findings.
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From Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial Examining the Efficacy of Intranasal Oxytocin to Enhance Alcohol Behavioral Couple Therapy (2025) · cites this paper as [3]

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Yamada, J., Nakawake, Y., Shou, Q., Nishina, K., Matsunaga, M., & Takagishi, H. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.705781 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Effects of oxytocin receptor blockade on dyadic social behavior in monogamous and non-monogamous Eulemur
Grebe, N. M., Sheikh, A., Ohannessian, L., & Drea, C. M. (2023) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106044 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Self-citation
Oxidative stress and the differential expression of traits associated with mating effort in humans
Grebe, N. M., Thompson, M. E., & Gangestad, S. W. (2021) · Evolution and Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2021.02.007 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
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Gholami, M., Emanuele, E., & Motaghinejad, M. (2023) · Biomedical and Biotechnology Research Journal (BBRJ) · doi:10.4103/bbrj.bbrj_28_23 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Peer Review #1 of "Exploring women’s oxytocin responses to interactions with their pet cats (v0.2)"
(2021) · PeerJ · doi:10.7287/peerj.12393v0.2/reviews/1
Effects of Oxytocin Receptor Blockade on Dyadic Social Behavior in Monogamous and Non-Monogamous EulemurPreprint
Grebe, N. M., Sheikh, A., Ohannessian, L., & Drea, C. M. (2022) · bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · doi:10.1101/2022.09.14.507945
Self-citation
Peer Review #1 of "Exploring women’s oxytocin responses to interactions with their pet cats (v0.1)"
(2021) · PeerJ · doi:10.7287/peerj.12393v0.1/reviews/1
Peer Review #2 of "Exploring women’s oxytocin responses to interactions with their pet cats (v0.2)"
(2021) · PeerJ · doi:10.7287/peerj.12393v0.2/reviews/2
Peer Review #3 of "Exploring women’s oxytocin responses to interactions with their pet cats (v0.2)"
(2021) · PeerJ · doi:10.7287/peerj.12393v0.2/reviews/3
Peer Review #2 of "Exploring women’s oxytocin responses to interactions with their pet cats (v0.1)"
(2021) · PeerJ · doi:10.7287/peerj.12393v0.1/reviews/2
Peer Review #3 of "Exploring women’s oxytocin responses to interactions with their pet cats (v0.1)"
(2021) · PeerJ · doi:10.7287/peerj.12393v0.1/reviews/3

Oxytocin and Romantic Relationships: A Functional Perspective
Grebe, N. M. (2015) · UNM’s Digital Repository (University of New Mexico)
Self-citation
Oxytocin and romantic attachments
Kristoffersen Mørk, A. (2017) · NORA - Norwegian Open Research Archives
Oxytocin during the initial stages of romantic attachment: Relations to couples’ interactive reciprocity
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The Role of Oxytocin in Romantic Partnerships: A Systematic Review
Meyer, D. D., McMorrow, S. R., Clipp, K., & Alshamrani, M. (2023) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106223
Love is in the air: the effects of intranasally administered oxytocin on the formation of romantic relationships
Loo, J. C. J. (2022) · UNSWorks (University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia) · doi:10.26190/unsworks/23115

Authors: Grebe, N. M., Kristoffersen, A. A., Grøntvedt, T. V., Emery Thompson, M., Kennair, L. E. O., & Gangestad, S. W.
Affiliations: University of New Mexico (US)
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NO)
Corresponding author: Grebe, Nicholas M.
ORCID: Grebe, Nicholas M.
Kristoffersen, Andreas Aarseth
Grøntvedt, Trond Viggo
Kennair, Leif Edward Ottesen
Gangestad, Steven W.
Venue: Hormones and Behavior
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Published: 2017-04
Volume: 90
Pages: 64-74
ISSN: 0018-506X (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.02.009
OpenAlex: W2594490181
Cited by: 34
References: 58
Citations by year: 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1
FWCI: 3.53
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations: Hormones and Behavior (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders: National Science Foundation
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
Keywords: oxytocin, romantic relationships, relationship quality, couples, social bonds
MeSH terms: Adolescent, Adult, Family Characteristics, Female, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Oxytocin, Personal Satisfaction, Saliva, Sexual Partners, Young Adult

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