Cited by 252Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorAction Observation and SynchronizationNeural and Behavioral Psychology Studies

Effects of oxytocin and prosocial behavior on brain responses to direct and vicariously experienced pain.

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Singer, Tania, Snozzi, Romana, Bird, Geoffrey, Petrovic, Predrag, Silani, Giorgia, Heinrichs, Markus, Dolan, Raymond J.·2008·Emotion

Abstract

In this study, we tested the validity of 2 popular assumptions about empathy: (a) empathy can be enhanced by oxytocin, a neuropeptide known to be crucial in affiliative behavior, and (b) individual differences in prosocial behavior are positively associated with empathic brain responses. To do so, we measured brain activity in a double-blind placebo-controlled study of 20 male participants either receiving painful stimulation to their own hand (self condition) or observing their female partner receiving painful stimulation to her hand (other condition). Prosocial behavior was measured using a monetary economic interaction game with which participants classified as prosocial (N = 12) or selfish (N = 6), depending on whether they cooperated with another player. Empathy-relevant brain activation (anterior insula) was neither enhanced by oxytocin nor positively associated with prosocial behavior. However, oxytocin reduced amygdala activation when participants received painful stimulation themselves (in the nonsocial condition). Surprisingly, this effect was driven by "selfish" participants. The results suggest that selfish individuals may not be as rational and unemotional as usually suggested, their actions being determined by their feeling anxious rather than by reason.

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Authors
Singer, T., Snozzi, R., Bird, G., Petrovic, P., Silani, G., Heinrichs, M., & Dolan, R. J.
Affiliations
  • University of Zurich (CH)
  • University College London (GB)
  • Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging (GB)
Venue
Emotion
Published
2008-12
Volume
8
Issue
6
Pages
781-791
ISSN
  • 1528-3542 (ISSN-L)
  • 1931-1516
OpenAlex
W2097146434
Cited by
248
References
73
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 24 · 2014: 22 · 2013: 25 · 2012: 19
FWCI
17.39
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Emotion (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research Bank (Australian Catholic University) (submittedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
  • Max Planck Digital Library (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Max Planck Digital Library (submittedVersion)
  • FreiDok plus (Universitätsbibliothek Freiburg) (submittedVersion)
  • Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
  • MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Action Observation and Synchronization
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
Keywords
oxytocin, empathy, prosocial behavior, vicarious pain, anterior insula, amygdala, individual differences, selfishness, cooperation, anxiety, pain perception
MeSH terms
Adult, Amygdala, Attitude to Health, Double-Blind Method, Electrodes, Hand, Humans, Male, Oxytocics, Oxytocin, Pain, Surveys and Questionnaires, Social Behavior, Young Adult

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