Distress of ostracism: oxytocin receptor gene polymorphism confers sensitivity to social exclusion
Open accessAbstract
A single-nucleotide polymorphism on the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR), rs53576, involving a guanine (G) to adenine (A) substitution has been associated with altered prosocial features. Specifically, individuals with the GG genotype (i.e. the absence of the polymorphism) display beneficial traits including enhanced trust, empathy and self-esteem. However, because G carriers might also be more socially sensitive, this may render them more vulnerable to the adverse effects of a negative social stressor. The current investigation, conducted among 128 white female undergraduate students, demonstrated that relative to individuals with AA genotype, G carriers were more emotionally sensitive (lower self-esteem) in response to social ostracism promoted through an on-line ball tossing game (Cyberball). Furthermore, GG individuals also exhibited altered blood pressure and cortisol levels following rejection, effects not apparent among A carriers. The data support the view that the presence of the G allele not only promotes prosocial behaviors but also favors sensitivity to a negative social stressor.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Homozygous carriers of the minor allele (A) of rs53576 have been shown to exhibit lower interpersonal sensitivity.
“Homozygous carriers of the minor allele (A; hitherto referred to as ‘risk allele’) of rs53576 have been shown to exhibit lower interpersonal sensitivity59–62.”
From Voluntary upregulation of heart rate variability through biofeedback is improved by mental contemplative training (2019) · cites this paper as [62]
AA-carriers exhibit lower interpersonal sensitivity.
“Previous studies have shown that AA-carriers exhibit lower interpersonal sensitivity59–62.”
From Voluntary upregulation of heart rate variability through biofeedback is improved by mental contemplative training (2019) · cites this paper as [62]
SNPs in the oxytocin receptor gene are associated with complex human prosocial behaviors such as trait empathy and pair bonding.
“SNPs in the oxytocin receptor gene are found to be associated with complex human prosocial behaviors such as trait empathy and pair bonding (Luo et al. 2015; McQuaid et al. 2015).”
From A precision medicine approach to oxytocin trials (2017) · cites this paper as McQuaid et al. 2015
Cites
(1970) · Cited by 24,983 · see citing works
Kirschbaum, C., Pirke, K.-M., & Hellhammer, D. H. (2008) · Neuropsychobiology · doi:10.1159/000119004 · Cited by 6,093 · see citing works
Does Rejection Hurt? An fMRI Study of Social Exclusion
Eisenberger, N. I., Lieberman, M. D., & Williams, K. D. (2003) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1089134 · Cited by 3,849 · see citing works
Pruessner, J. C., Kirschbaum, C., Meinlschmid, G., & Hellhammer, D. H. (2003) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/s0306-4530(02)00108-7 · Cited by 3,638 · see citing works
The oxytocin receptor system: structure, function, and regulation
Gimpl, G., & Fahrenholz, F. (2001) · Physiological Reviews · doi:10.1152/physrev.2001.81.2.629 · Cited by 3,089 · see citing works
Cyberostracism: effects of being ignored over the Internet
Williams, K. D., Cheung, C. K. T., & Choi, W. (2000) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.79.5.748 · Cited by 2,276 · see citing works
Oxytocin Modulates Neural Circuitry for Social Cognition and Fear in Humans
Kirsch, P., Esslinger, C., Chen, Q., Mier, D., Lis, S., Siddhanti, S., Gruppe, H., Mattay, V. S., Gallhofer, B., & Meyer-Lindenberg, A. (2005) · The Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.3984-05.2005 · Cited by 1,639 · see citing works
Social effects of oxytocin in humans: context and person matter
Bartz, J. A., Zaki, J., Bolger, N., & Ochsner, K. N. (2011) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.tics.2011.05.002 · Cited by 1,572 · cited 1× · see citing works
“From this perspective, oxytocin might not just serve as a prosocial hormone but might also influence the salience of or sensitivity to social cues, irrespective of whether these are positive or negative (Averbeck, 2010; Bartz et al., 2011).”
BackgroundZadro, L., Williams, K. D., & Richardson, R. (2004) · Journal of Experimental Social Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.jesp.2003.11.006 · Cited by 1,138 · see citing works
Vulnerability genes or plasticity genes?
Belsky, J., Jonassaint, C., Pluess, M., Stanton, M., Brummett, B., & Williams, R. (2009) · Molecular Psychiatry · doi:10.1038/mp.2009.44 · Cited by 1,017 · see citing works
Eisenberger, N. I. (2012) · Nature Reviews Neuroscience · doi:10.1038/nrn3231 · Cited by 1,016 · see citing works
Intranasal oxytocin improves emotion recognition for youth with autism spectrum disorders.
Guastella, A. J., Einfeld, S. L., Gray, K. M., Rinehart, N. J., Tonge, B. J., Lambert, T. J., & Hickie, I. B. (2010) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.09.020 · Cited by 962 · see citing works
Oxytocin receptor genetic variation relates to empathy and stress reactivity in humans
Rodrigues, S. M., Saslow, L. R., Garcia, N., John, O. P., & Keltner, D. (2009) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.0909579106 · Cited by 812 · see citing works
Vasopressin and Oxytocin Excite Distinct Neuronal Populations in the Central Amygdala
Huber, D., Veinante, P., & Stoop, R. (2005) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1105636 · Cited by 804 · see citing works
Ostracism: the power of silence
(2002) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.39-4267 · Cited by 803 · see citing works
Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J., & van IJzendoorn, M. H. (2008) · Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience · doi:10.1093/scan/nsn004 · Cited by 474 · see citing works
No Gene Is an Island: The Flip-Flop Phenomenon
Lin, P., Vance, J. M., Pericak‐Vance, M. A., & Martin, E. R. (2007) · The American Journal of Human Genetics · doi:10.1086/512133 · Cited by 465 · see citing works
Williams, K. D. (1997) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4757-9354-3_7 · Cited by 447 · see citing works
Oxytocin Attenuates Affective Evaluations of Conditioned Faces and Amygdala Activity
Petrovic, P., Kalisch, R., Singer, T., & Dolan, R. J. (2008) · Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.4572-07.2008 · Cited by 424 · cited 2× · see citing works
“…so that the rewarding attributes of particular stimuli take on greater salience (Love, 2014), and oxytocin also influences amygdala activity (Kirsch et al., 2005; Petrovic et al., 2008), possibly through actions on -aminobutyric acid, so that fear reactions are altered (Huber et al., 2005).”
BackgroundOxytocin, motivation and the role of dopamine
Love, T. M. (2014) · Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.pbb.2013.06.011 · Cited by 369 · see citing works
Kim, H. S., Sherman, D. K., Sasaki, J. Y., Xu, J., Chu, T. Q., Ryu, C., Suh, E. M., Graham, K., & Taylor, S. E. (2010) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.1010830107 · Cited by 341 · see citing works
Plasma oxytocin levels and anxiety in patients with major depression
Scantamburlo, G., Hansenne, M., Fuchs, S., Pitchot, W., Maréchal, P., Péqueux, C., Ansseau, M., & Legros, J. J. (2007) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2007.01.009 · Cited by 325 · see citing works
An experimental study of shared sensitivity to physical pain and social rejection
Eisenberger, N. I., Jarcho, J. M., Lieberman, M. D., & Naliboff, B. D. (2006) · Pain · doi:10.1016/j.pain.2006.06.024 · Cited by 304 · see citing works
Lucht, M. J., Barnow, S., Sonnenfeld, C., Rosenberger, A., Grabe, H. J., Schroeder, W., Völzke, H., Freyberger, H. J., Herrmann, F. H., Kroemer, H., et al. (2009) · Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.pnpbp.2009.04.004 · Cited by 271 · see citing works
Oxytocin receptor gene ( <i>OXTR</i> ) is related to psychological resources
Saphire-Bernstein, S., Way, B. M., Kim, H. S., Sherman, D. K., & Taylor, S. E. (2011) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.1113137108 · Cited by 262 · see citing works
Understanding Genetic Risk for Aggression: Clues From the Brain’s Response to Social Exclusion
Eisenberger, N. I., Way, B. M., Taylor, S. E., Welch, W. T., & Lieberman, M. D. (2007) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.08.007 · Cited by 229 · see citing works
Bradley, B., Westen, D., Mercer, K. B., Binder, E. B., Jovanovic, T., Crain, D., Wingo, A., & Heim, C. (2011) · Development and Psychopathology · doi:10.1017/s0954579411000162 · Cited by 213 · see citing works
Oxytocin receptor genetic variation promotes human trust behavior
Krueger, F., Parasuraman, R., Iyengar, V., Thornburg, M., Weel, J., Lin, M., Clarke, E., McCabe, K., & Lipsky, R. H. (2012) · Frontiers in Human Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnhum.2012.00004 · Cited by 207 · see citing works
Smith, K. E., Porges, E. C., Norman, G. J., Connelly, J. J., & Decety, J. (2014) · Social Neuroscience · doi:10.1080/17470919.2013.863223 · Cited by 195 · see citing works
Ostracism: The Power of Silence
Vogel-Scibilia, S. (2002) · Psychiatric Services · doi:10.1176/appi.ps.54.1.114 · Cited by 180 · see citing works
Making room for oxytocin in understanding depression
McQuaid, R. J., McInnis, O. A., Abizaid, A. B., & Anisman, H. (2014) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.07.005 · Cited by 172 · see citing works
Self-citationMcQuaid, R. J., McInnis, O. A., Stead, J. D. H., Matheson, K., & Anisman, H. (2013) · Frontiers in Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnins.2013.00128 · Cited by 158 · see citing works
Self-citationBradley, B., Davis, T. A., Wingo, A. P., Mercer, K. B., & Ressler, K. J. (2013) · European Journal of Psychotraumatology · doi:10.3402/ejpt.v4i0.21659 · Cited by 137 · see citing works
Adjunctive intranasal oxytocin improves verbal memory in people with schizophrenia
Feifel, D., MacDonald, K. S., Cobb, P., & Minassian, A. (2012) · Schizophrenia Research · doi:10.1016/j.schres.2012.05.018 · Cited by 117 · see citing works
Linnen, A.-M., Ellenbogen, M. A., Cardoso, C., & Joober, R. (2012) · Stress · doi:10.3109/10253890.2011.631154 · Cited by 104 · see citing works
Seidel, E., Silani, G., Metzler, H., Thaler, H., Lamm, C., Gur, R. C., Kryspin‐Exner, I., Habel, U., & Derntl, B. (2013) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2013.07.021 · Cited by 97 · see citing works
Mizumoto, Y., Kimura, T., & Ivell, R. (1997) · Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology · doi:10.1016/s0303-7207(97)00195-0 · Cited by 79 · see citing works
Psychological and Neuroendocrine Reactivity to Ostracism
Zwolinski, J. (2012) · Aggressive Behavior · doi:10.1002/ab.21411 · Cited by 77 · see citing works
Cardoso, C., Ellenbogen, M. A., Serravalle, L., & Linnen, A. (2013) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2013.05.006 · Cited by 76 · see citing works
Thompson, S. M., Hammen, C. L., Starr, L. R., & Najman, J. M. (2014) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.01.012 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
Norman, G. J., Hawkley, L. C., Luhmann, M., Ball, A. B., Cole, S. W., Berntson, G. G., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2011) · Hormones and Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2011.11.006 · Cited by 67 · see citing works
Oxytocin and the salience of social cues
Averbeck, B. B. (2010) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.1004892107 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
Zöller, C., Maroof, P., Weik, U., & Deinzer, R. (2010) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2010.02.019 · Cited by 58 · see citing works
Cardoso, C., Ellenbogen, M. A., & Linnen, A.-M. (2014) · Emotion · doi:10.1037/a0034314 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Johnson, Z. V., & Young, L. J. (2017) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.01.034 · Cited by 242 · see citing works
Schneider-Hassloff, H., Straube, B., Jansen, A., Nuscheler, B., Wemken, G., Witt, S. H., Rietschel, M., & Kircher, T. (2016) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.04.009 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
A precision medicine approach to oxytocin trials
Andari, E., Hurlemann, R., & Young, L. J. (2017) · Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences · doi:10.1007/7854_2017_29 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
Flasbeck, V., Moser, D., Kumsta, R., & Brüne, M. (2018) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00359 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Bornemann, B., Kovacs, P., & Singer, T. (2019) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-019-44201-7 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
- Authors
- McQuaid, R. J., McInnis, O. A., Matheson, K., & Anisman, H.
- Affiliations
- Department of Neuroscience, and
- Carleton University (CA)
- Venue
- Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2015-01-05
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 1153-1159
- ISSN
- 1749-5016 (ISSN-L)
- 1749-5024
- PMC
- PMC4526486
- OpenAlex
- W2132506350
- Cited by
- 67
- References
- 44
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 2
- FWCI
- 16.95
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Carleton University's Institutional Repository (MacOdrum Library, Carleton University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- British Heart Foundation (MOP-106591)
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Keywords
- oxytocin receptor gene, OXTR rs53576, social exclusion, ostracism, emotional sensitivity, self-esteem, social stress, cortisol, blood pressure, prosocial behavior, genetic polymorphism, Cyberball
- MeSH terms
- Anxiety, Blood Pressure, Empathy, Female, Games, Experimental, Genotype, Heterozygote, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Interpersonal Relations, Mutation, Polymorphism, Genetic, Rejection, Psychology, Self Concept, Psychological Distance, Receptors, Oxytocin, Amino Acid Substitution, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Trust, Young Adult
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
