Lack of association between human plasma oxytocin and interpersonal trust in a prisoner’s dilemma paradigm
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Expanding interest in oxytocin, particularly the role of endogenous oxytocin in human social behavior, has created a pressing need for replication of results and verification of assay methods. In this study, we sought to replicate and extend previous results correlating plasma oxytocin with trust and trustworthy behavior. As a necessary first step, the two most commonly used commercial assays were compared in human plasma via the addition of a known quantity of exogenous oxytocin, with and without sample extraction. Plasma sample extraction was found to be critical in obtaining repeatable concentrations of oxytocin. In the subsequent trust experiment, twelve samples in duplicate, from each of 82 participants, were collected over approximately six hours during the performance of a Prisoner's Dilemma task paradigm that stressed human interpersonal trust. We found no significant relationship between plasma oxytocin concentrations and trusting or trustworthy behavior. In light of these findings, previous published work that used oxytocin immunoassays without sample extraction should be reexamined and future research exploring links between endogenous human oxytocin and trust or social behavior should proceed with careful consideration of methods and appropriate biofluids for analysis.
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The two immunoassays are poorly correlated, thus preventing the comparison of results obtained by different research groups.
“It is evident, as others have previously suggested (Christensen et al., 2014), that the two immunoassays are poorly correlated, thus preventing the comparison of results obtained by different research groups.”
From Peripheral oxytocin and vasopressin: Biomarkers of psychiatric disorders? A comprehensive systematic review and preliminary meta-analysis (2016) · cites this paper as Christensen et al., 2014
Three studies compared measurements of oxytocin in the same samples by the same ELISA with and without extraction; Robinson et al. found approximately 8 pg/ml in extracted seal plasma versus 300 pg/ml in unextracted heparin samples or 540 pg/ml in unextracted EDTA samples with no correlation, Christensen et al. found radioimmunoassay extracted mean levels of 1.1 pg/ml and spiked levels higher by t
“Three studies have compared measurements of oxytocin in the same samples by the same ELISA, with and without extraction 101, 116, 117. Robinson et al. 116 measured oxytocin levels in seals: in extracted samples, they found plasma levels of approximately 8 pg/ml, compared to 300 pg/ml in unextracted samples collected in heparin vacutainers or 540 pg/ml in unextracted samples collected in ethylenedi”
From Measuring Oxytocin and Vasopressin: Bioassays, Immunoassays and Random Numbers (2016) · cites this paper as [117]
Lyophilization has been found to significantly increase the validity of measuring oxytocin via ELISA, so lyophilisation was used instead of the chemical concentration process.
“Lyophilization has also been found to significantly increase the validity of measuring OT via ELISA [7, 21, 22]. Therefore, we used the lyophilisation process instead of the chemical process outlined in the manual.”
From Salivary oxytocin concentrations in males following intranasal administration of oxytocin: a double-blind, cross-over study (2015) · cites this paper as [21]
Studies investigating a link between plasma oxytocin levels and trust behavior in experimental settings have yielded mixed results.
“However, studies investigating a link between plasma OT levels and trust behavior in experimental settings (trust game paradigms), have yielded mixed results with some studies reporting tentative links (Zak et al., 2005;Zhong et al., 2012), while others failed to reveal a significant correlation (Christensen et al., 2014).”
From Long-term oxytocin administration enhances the experience of attachment (2017) · cites this paper as Christensen et al., 2014
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References 46 · Cited by 69
- Authors
- Christensen, J. C., Shiyanov, P. A., Estepp, J. R., & Schlager, J. J.
- Affiliations
- United States Air Force Research Laboratory (US)
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation (US)
- Corresponding author
- Christensen, James C.
- ORCID
- Estepp, Justin R.
- Venue
- PLoS ONE
- Publisher
- Public Library of Science (PLoS)
- Published
- 2014-12-30
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- e116172
- ISSN
- 1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4280178
- OpenAlex
- W2044032029
- Cited by
- 69
- References
- 46
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 8
- FWCI
- 17.75
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Update notices
- correction (2015-03-19)
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- PLoS ONE (publishedVersion, public-domain)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, public-domain)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, public-domain)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- Office of the Director of National Intelligence
- Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity
- NIH Office of the Director
- Air Force Research Laboratory
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Experimental Behavioral Economics Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Keywords
- plasma oxytocin, interpersonal trust, trustworthiness, prisoner's dilemma, assay comparison, sample extraction, endogenous oxytocin, social behavior, replication
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Female, Game Theory, Humans, Male, Oxytocin, Psychological Tests, Social Behavior, Trust, Young Adult
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