In today's news, researchers at the University of Zurich found that snorts of oxytocin increased the sense of trust among people playing an investment game. As Stefan Lofgren reports in National Geographic News,
To test the trusting effect of oxytocin, the researchers studied people who played an investment game. In the game, participants would choose how much money to hand over to a trustee. Investors were far more trusting after inhaling the hormone, researchers found.
Co-authors Markus Heinrichs and Michael Kosfeldsaid the study had implications for treating anxiety disorders; Heinrichs has several such studies underway.
As far back as 2001, Heinrichs was looking at how social support and oxytocin interact -- also using that nasal spray method.
