Carsten K. W. De Dreu1, Lindred L. Greer1, Michel J. J. Handgraaf1, Shaul Shalvi1, Gerben A. van Kleef1, Matthijs Baas1, Femke S. Ten Velden1, Eric van Dijk2, Sander W. W. Feith3
1Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Roetersstraat 15,1018 WB Amsterdam, Netherlands
2Department of Psychology, Leiden University, Postbox 9555, 2300 RB, Netherlands.
3Stichting AllesKits, Cypruslaan 410, 3059 XA Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Tóm tắt
Oxytocin and Intergroup Conflict
Human society is organized into groups, such as those based on nationality or religion, which can lead to intergroup conflicts, with sometimes devastating consequences. Intergroup conflict engages a human behavior termed parochial altruism: For example, a soldier who fights against the enemy at risk to themselves to protect their country is a parochial altruist.
De Dreu
et al.
(p.
1408
; see the cover; see the News story by
Miller
) have discovered a role for oxytocin, a neuropeptide produced in the hypothalamus, in regulating parochial altruism during human intergroup competition and conflict. Oxytocin is already known to play a role in trusting behavior, and naturally occurring genetic variants of the oxytocin receptor exist within the human population. Administration of oxytocin modulated defense-related aggression toward competing groups, but did not affect unprovoked, hateful behavior. Thus, there may be a neurobiological basis for intergroup conflict in humans.
