Basics & Functions
Oxytocin is known as the “_____ hormone.”
Name one input that increases oxytocin.
Close social contact / sexual activity / childbirth / breastfeeding.
In Kosfeld’s Trust Game, how did oxytocin affect investors?
They sent more money, showing higher social trust.
How do early caregiving & attachment affect oxytocin?
They raise baseline oxytocin and support trust/secure bonding.
Which hormone is co-regulated with oxytocin and controls water balance?
Vasopressin.
Name one major physiological function of oxytocin in reproduction.
Childbirth (uterine contractions) OR Lactation (milk let-down)
What is one output linked to oxytocin release?
Bonding, trust, or stress reduction.
What adaptive output did Baumgartner’s betrayal study reveal?
People kept trusting under oxytocin, even after betrayal.
What effect did parental divorce have on oxytocin?
Adults had lower oxytocin and more attachment anxiety.
Which hormone stimulates oxytocin release and receptor growth?
Estrogen.
What part of the brain produces oxytocin?
What is the Hypothalamus
What body system helps regulate oxytocin’s release?
What is the Nervous system
Oral oxytocin doesn’t work because it’s broken down in the gut, intranasal sprays barely reach the brain and mostly spike body levels, effects are inconsistent or very small in large studies, context can flip it to negative effects like in-group bias or envy, real risks include water intoxication and uterine contractions, dosing and measurement are unreliable, most sprays online are not FDA-approved.
How did Wismer Fries’ study show the effects of early neglect when kids were institutionalized/adopted?
Institutionalized kids failed to show oxytocin rise during maternal touch.
How does oxytocin interact with the stress hormone cortisol?
It inhibits the HPA axis, lowering chronic stress response.
Why is oxytocin considered unique in its regulation
It operates through a positive feedback loop (more release triggers even more).
Which organ contracts due to oxytocin during childbirth?
Name a situation where oxytocin enhances cooperation for survival.
Group hunting, food sharing, or defending territory.
What genetic factor influences oxytocin sensitivity?
OXTR receptor gene variants.
Which hormone is also involved in lactation, working with oxytocin?
Prolactin.
Give one evolutionary reason why oxytocin was positively selected in humans
Supports pair bonding, cooperative parenting, and reproductive success.
What is the evolutionary “trade-off” function of oxytocin?
Shifting the body away from chronic stress to enable growth, healing, and reproduction.
What is the “double-edged sword” of oxytocin’s social effects?
It can increase in-group favoritism, envy, or conformity, not always prosociality.
Why is oxytocin critical for infant survival in humans?
Strengthens mother to infant bonding, and ensures consistent caregiving.
How does oxytocin differ from testosterone in adaptive outputs?
Oxytocin promotes bonding/trust, testosterone often drives competition/dominance.