The neurobiology of trust
Abstract
This is the first report that endogenous oxytocin in humans is related to social behaviors, which is consistent with a large animal literature. Subjects are put into a social dilemma in which absent communication, cooperative behavior can benefit both parties randomly assigned to a dyad. The dilemma arises because one participant must make a monetary sacrifice to signal the degree of trust in the other before the other's behavioral response is known. We show that receipt of a signal of trust is associated with a higher level of peripheral oxytocin than that in subjects receiving a random monetary transfer of the same average amount. Oxytocin levels were also related to trustworthy behavior (sharing a greater proportion of the monetary gains). We conclude that oxytocin may be part of the human physiology that motivates cooperation.
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This effect occurred after several positive interactions in a trust game, a condition that has previously been shown to boost endogenous oxytocin.
“This effect occurred after several positive interactions in a trust game, a condition that has previously been shown to boost endogenous OT (Zak et al., 2004).”
From The effect of oxytocin on cooperation in a prisoner's dilemma depends on the social context and a person's social value orientation (2014) · cites this paper as Zak et al., 2004
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- Authors
- ZAK, P. J., KURZBAN, R., & MATZNER, W. T.
- Affiliations
- Claremont Graduate University (US)
- University of Pennsylvania (US)
- Corresponding author
- ZAK, PAUL J.
- Venue
- Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2004-12
- Volume
- 1032
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 224-227
- ISSN
- 0077-8923 (ISSN-L)
- 1749-6632
- OpenAlex
- W2016557481
- Cited by
- 282
- References
- 15
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 21 · 2012: 20
- FWCI
- 15.56
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Experimental Behavioral Economics Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
- Keywords
- oxytocin, trust, cooperation, social dilemmas, social behavior, monetary exchange
- MeSH terms
- Decision Making, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Oxytocin
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