Oxytocin Modulates Social Distance between Males and Females

“Personality traits were measured with the kSIAS (Social Interaction Anxiety Scale), the lSPS (Social Phobia Scale), the mBIS (Behavioral Inhibition System), and the nBAS (Behavioral Approach System).”

“, 2008) and we tend to expand our PS if a person establishes eye-contact with us (Argyle and Dean, 1965).”

“In humans, OXT has also been implicated in attraction and bonding behavior in both men and women (Meyer-Lindenberg et al., 2011; Feldman, 2012; McCall and Singer, 2012).”

“…support the concept that the behavioral effects of OXT are moderated by contextual factors and personal characteristics such as relationship status (Bartz et al., 2011) and provide the first direct evidence for a behavior-modifying role of OXT in helping to maintain monogamous pair-bonds in humans.”

“Research on monogamous mammals, particularly prairie voles, has shown that the neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) promotes the formation of pair-bonds in females, with a related peptide, argininevasopressin being more important in males (Donaldson and Young, 2008; Insel, 2010).”

“While it has been reported to reduce conflict between couples (Ditzen et al., 2009), this may be a generalized effect of its prosocial actions independent of relationship status.”

“The prosocial actions of OXT often involve facilitation of approach behaviors (Hurlemann et al., 2010; Kemp and Guastella, 2011; Striepens et al., 2011), although this can be context- and person-dependent (Bartz et al.”

“In humans, OXT has also been implicated in attraction and bonding behavior in both men and women (Meyer-Lindenberg et al., 2011; Feldman, 2012; McCall and Singer, 2012).”

“However, if an unfamiliar person violates our PS (Hall, 1966; Hayduk, 1983), we can feel uncomfortable, and so close approach must be carefully controlled.”

“, 2009) and the activity of amygdala subregions is also modulated by OXT (Gamer et al., 2010).”

“…value of other women remains constant is further supported by the absence of any interaction between OXT and gaze direction, since returned eye gaze from an attractive person is associated with a higher reward value than averted gaze when a social interaction is initiated (Kampe et al., 2001).”

“While the most obvious physiological stimulus for promoting endogenous OXT release in men would be having sex with their mate (Krüger et al., 2003), the simple close presence and touch of their partner at any given moment in time might also suffice (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2008).”

“…(Hurlemann et al., 2010; Kemp and Guastella, 2011; Striepens et al., 2011), although this can be context- and person-dependent (Bartz et al., 2011), since OXT can also promote risk aversion (Declerck et al., 2010) and noncooperation toward individuals perceived as outsiders (De Dreu, 2012).”

“We applied an adapted version of the stopdistance paradigm used by Kennedy et al. (2009).”

“…(Hurlemann et al., 2010; Kemp and Guastella, 2011; Striepens et al., 2011), although this can be context- and person-dependent (Bartz et al., 2011), since OXT can also promote risk aversion (Declerck et al., 2010) and noncooperation toward individuals perceived as outsiders (De Dreu, 2012).”

“…are increased in couples during the early stages of romantic love and stay significantly elevated in couples remaining together 6 months later (Schneiderman et al., 2012), our results suggest that further augmentation of endogenous OXT release is necessary to produce fidelity-enhancing…”

“The prosocial actions of OXT often involve facilitation of approach behaviors (Hurlemann et al., 2010; Kemp and Guastella, 2011; Striepens et al., 2011), although this can be context- and person-dependent (Bartz et al.”

“In humans, OXT has also been implicated in attraction and bonding behavior in both men and women (Meyer-Lindenberg et al., 2011; Feldman, 2012; McCall and Singer, 2012).”

“The prosocial actions of OXT often involve facilitation of approach behaviors (Hurlemann et al., 2010; Kemp and Guastella, 2011; Striepens et al., 2011), although this can be context- and person-dependent (Bartz et al.”

“We signal interest in members of the opposite sex in many ways during influential first encounters (Sunnafrank and Ramirez, 2004), although approach behavior is clearly important for displaying potential romantic interest.”

“Future studies are needed to elucidate the exact neurochemical cascade underlying the observed OXT effect on approach behavior since OXT-induced analgesia in mice, for example, is mediated by vasopressin-1A receptors (Schorscher-Petcu et al., 2010).”

“While the most obvious physiological stimulus for promoting endogenous OXT release in men would be having sex with their mate (Krüger et al., 2003), the simple close presence and touch of their partner at any given moment in time might also suffice (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2008).”

“Humans and other mammalian species exhibiting monogamous pair-bonds also show biparental behavior, leading to the theory that while reproductively costly for males, monogamy evolves in species to help ensure offspring survival (Low, 2003).”

“, 2013) and stand further away when interacting with an attractive female stranger (Scheele et al., 2012).”

“Scheele and colleagues observed when heterosexual males in a relationship are treated with intranasal oxytocin, they preferred to keep attractive unfamiliar females at a greater distance relative to single men or men in relationships which had been treated with placebo (Scheele et al. , 2012).”

“The notion that OXT may play a specific role in maintaining long-term pair bonding in humans is also substantiated by our previous findings that it makes men in a relationship keep a greater social distance from attractive female strangers (29) and reinforces the suggestion that OXT effects are both context and person…”

“In sum, oxytocin does not increase offensive aggression aimed at subordinating and exploiting the out-group but does prepare for defensive aggression aimed at warding off and neutralizing threat posed by rivaling out-groups (102,105–107) [also see (56,60,64,68)].”

“(Scheele et al., 2012), have provided the additional insight that oxytocin acts primarily in these contexts to improve interactive reciprocity between consorting partners.”

“Another demonstrated that OT increases the distance men in relationships put between themselves and an attractive female, but does not have the same effect in single men (Scheele et al., 2012).”

“For instance, intranasal oxytocin increases the perceived attractiveness of romantic female partners by heterosexual men [63], and modulates social distance between heterosexual males and females [64].”

“nonsocial CS pair (house CS1, house CS2) (29,35,36).”

“Importantly, this region plays a key role in processing social salience (18) and controlling approach and avoidance behaviors (10), which OXT has been shown to modulate (3, 4, 6, 19).”

“…OT administration to romantically attached males increases activation of reward areas when viewing images of a partner's face, but not an unfamiliar stranger female's face, and increases preferred interpersonal distance from an unfamiliar female (Scheele et al., 2012; Scheele et al., 2013).”

“Intranasally administered OT (IN-OT) modulates several aspects of social cognition and behavior, including increasing trust, eye-gaze, emotion recognition, empathy and socially reinforced learning (Guastella et al., 2012), and behaviors relevant to pair bonding (Scheele et al., 2013, 2012).”

“Our results strongly corroborate the notion that social touch in general and the OXT effect on hedonic value and neural response to human touch in particular are context dependent (Scheele et al, 2012; Striepens et al, 2014; Striepens et al, 2012).”

“Furthermore, intranasal administration of OT enhances emotion recognition and behaviors associated with monogamy (Scheele et al., 2012, 2013) and enhances parenting behaviors, including positive affect, social gaze, and vocal synchrony in humans (Rilling & Young, 2014; Weisman, Zagoory-Sharon, &…”

“Please cite this article as: Tops M, et al, Why social attachment and oxyt between ventral and dorsal corticostriatal systems, Pharmacol Biochem B derogation of unfamiliar affiliative alternatives (Scheele et al., 2012).”

“In another study, OXT motivated pair-bonded, but not single, men to keep a larger social distance from an unknown female experimenter (Figure 1) and inhibited approach toward attractive women depicted in photos (89).”

“These results may even help explain the context- and person-dependent effects of OT, such as the avoidance of attractive females by monogamous but not single men (Scheele et al., 2012), and the increase of ingroup favoritism and outgroup derogation (De Dreu et al.”

“Finally, recent evidence indicates that oxytocin, a neuropeptide known to reduce activity in the amygdala, thereby resulting in decreased fear responses [51], can modulate social distance in interacting partners [52], and improve social interactions in ASD individuals [53].”

“These results are also in line with Scheele (Scheele et al., 2012) who recently reported that participants with higher SA scores maintained larger distances from a female experimenter , and with Wieser et al. (2010) and Rinck et al. (2010) who used virtual reality to show greater preferred distance and averted eye gaz…”

“…were significantly higher in new lovers compared with singles (Schneiderman et al., 2012) and OXT stimulated men in a monogamous relationship, but not single men, to keep a greater distance between themselves and an attractive woman during a first social encounter (Scheele et al., 2012).”

“Administering intranasal Oxt to healthy adult humans affects trust [3, 4], recognition of emotional facial expressions [5, 6], social memory [7], and pair-bonding related behaviors [8, 9].”

“A comparison of the ideal and uncomfortable social distances obtained for heterosexual dyads in the present study with our previous findings (Scheele et al., 2012) in male participants revealed a significant main effect of the participants’ gender [ideal distance: F(1,131) = 32.63, P < 0.01, η2 =…”

“OT administration causes men in a monogamous relationship, but not single ones, to distance themselves from an attractive female experimenter, and to approach pictures of attractive women more slowly (Scheele et al., 2012).”

“, 2007), pair bonding and maternal behavior (Strathearn et al., 2009; Scheele et al., 2012) and emotional empathy and face recognition (Hurlemann et al.”

“Severity and course of MDD may also be meaningful qualifiers for use of IN OT.”

“For example, men in committed relationships exposed to oxytocin viewed their partner as more attractive and stood farther from an attractive female stranger (Scheele et al., 2012, 2013).”

“Administration of oxytocin in humans is associated with changes in social-approach behaviors, such as trust (2) and personal proximity (3).”

“Key among the molecular substrates of social group living and monogamous pair bonds in humans is the hypothalamic peptide oxytocin (OXT) (Scheele et al, 2012, 2013).”

“Although Scheele et al. (2012) showed that relationship status modulates OT’s effect on preferred interpersonal distance, this study shows that, at least in males, an individual’s initial empathy trait level interacts with the effect of OT on preferred interpersonal distance.”

“, 2008) and romantic relationships (Scheele et al., 2012; Scheele et al., 2013; Hurlemann and Scheele, 2016).”

“While there is less data to support the role of oxytocin in mediating LHT trade-offs, a recent study showed that selfadministration of intranasal OT decreases approach behavior toward an unknown, attractive woman in partnered (but not single) males (Scheele et al., 2012).”

“The neuropeptide OXT has been implicated in mediating numerous prosocial effects ranging from approach/avoidance behavior [158] to interpersonal trust [159].”

“In addition, committed heterosexual males that received OT-IN preferred to be socially distant from attractive females, compared with single men and the placebo group (Scheele et al., 2012).”

“In addition to personal factors such as relationship status (Scheele et al., 2012, 2013) and situational factors such as social threat (Grillon et al., 2012; Striepens et al., 2012), familiarity may thus represent another context-dependent variable that critically influences OXT effects (Bartz et…”

“Human males in a monogamous relationship, but not single men, who received intranasal OT kept a greater distance on approach of an attractive woman (Scheele et al., 2012).”

“This correlation was not found in the CL group, perhaps because of the low variance in the control group’s behavioral measures (Perry et al., 2013; see also Scheele et al., 2012).”

“For instance, the hypothalamic peptide oxytocin (OT) significantly increased the preferred distance from a stranger but not from a friend who was approaching the participant [43,44].”

“In addition, OT has been found to modulate social distance between males and females (Scheele et al., 2012), increase memory for facial identity (Savaskan et al., 2008), increase attention to social cues (Leknes et al., 2012), motivate in-group cooperation (De Dreu, 2012), and increase generosity…”

“…leads to more engaged, constructive communication about relationship conflicts (Ditzen et al., 2009), increased personal space between paired men and attractive strangers (Scheele et al., 2012) and more intense orgasms and greater contentment after intercourse with a partner (Behnia et al., 2014).”

“…fear and anxiety (Kirsch et al., 2005), increases trust (Kosfeld et al., 2005), reduces xenophobic outgroup rejection (Marsh et al., 2017), increases monogamous behavior (Scheele et al., 2012), increases empathy (Sheng et al., 2013) and conformity with in-group members (Stallen et al., 2012).”

“, 2010), and pair-bonding-related behaviors (Scheele et al., 2012; 2013).”

“In men, OT administration only resulted in them approaching nearer to a female stranger (but not a man) if they were single, possibly suggesting that for men in a relationship it acted to inhibit approach behavior which might potentially risk their current relationship [143].”

“79 After nasal administration of OT, men in a monogamous relationship preferred keeping a greater distance from an attractive female encounter, 80 while keeping a closer contact with a male friend.”

“…4) perceptions of trustworthiness or threat based on interpersonal distance (similar to outcomes studied in Cohen et al., 2018; Perry et al., 2015; Scheele et al., 2012), 5) a hypothetical bystander intervention, and 6) written reflections on a supportive interaction or a conflict with a close…”

“…rodent (Carter, 1998; Young et al., 2005; Gobrogge and Wang, 2015; Johnson et al., 2016; Numan and Young, 2016), and have been implicated in studies of adult human romantic relationships (Gordon et al., 2008; Walum et al., 2008, 2012; Scheele et al., 2012, 2013; Schneiderman et al., 2014).”

“Sex-specific OXT effects have been found in various domains ranging from social approach/avoidance behaviour (Scheele et al., 2012; Preckel et al., 2014) and social perception (Fischer-Shofty et al.”

“OXT has been implicated in mediating a diverse social behavioral repertoire ranging from basic approach-avoidance tendencies (Scheele et al., 2012) and monogamous pair-bonding (Scheele et al.”

“IN-OT increases the rating of attractiveness of partners’ faces (Scheele et al. 2013), reduces conflict between couples (Ditzen et al. 2009), and enhances the distance between pair bonded men and unfamiliar attractive individuals (Scheele et al. 2012).”

“In line with animal studies, human studies have highlighted its critical role in approach-avoidance behavior (Scheele et al., 2012), pair-bonding (Walum et al., 2012), mother–pup bonding (Elmadih et al., 2014), trust (Baumgartner et al., 2008), emotion recognition (Shahrestani et al., 2013),…”

“23) and increase physical approach leading to closer interpersonal distance (24, 25).”

“Another relevant moderator, the relationship status (Scheele et al., 2012), did not show any significant results in additional explorative analyses, which might as well be due to a lack of power in the small subgroup of pair-bonded individuals (N = 29).”

“IPD preferences are typically explained by cultural and social differences (Hayduk, 1983; Remland et al., 1995; Bar-Haim et al., 2002; Vranic, 2003; Kaitz et al., 2004; Scheele et al., 2012; Bogovicét al., 2013; Perry et al., 2013).”

“Moreover, intranasal OXT motivates pairbonded, but not single, men to keep a greater social distance from an unknown female experimenter (Scheele et al., 2012b).”

“Yet, in contrast with the social approach hypothesis, Scheele et al. (2012) reported that after being administered OT, men tended to avoid women, especially if the men were in a monogamous relationship.”