Weird "love" hormone makes you hate THEM - Robert Sapolsky

Summary

This script delves into the intriguing role of oxytocin, a hormone with a 100-million-year history linked to bonding in mothers and infants, and its evolution in species forming pair bonds. In humans, it's associated with trust, generosity, and social connection. However, it also intensifies 'us versus them' tribalism, as highlighted by studies showing its influence on pro-social behavior and empathy, which can be biased towards those perceived as part of one's own group. The discussion underscores how our brains quickly categorize others and the potential for both positive and negative societal implications.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Oxytocin, a hormone present for over 100 million years, plays a crucial role in mother-infant bonding and social connections across species.
• 🐭 In lab rats, the absence of oxytocin leads to a failure in maternal attachment, highlighting its importance in bonding.
• 💑 About 60 million years ago, oxytocin evolved to facilitate pair bonding in species that mate for life.
• 🙌 In primates, including humans, oxytocin is associated with trust, generosity, and a sense of connectedness.
• 🐶 Around 20,000-30,000 years ago, humans and dogs co-evolved, and direct eye contact between them can trigger oxytocin release, enhancing their bond.
• 🧠 Oxytocin improves facial expression recognition and can make people more trusting and generous, but it doesn't universally increase pro-social behavior.
• 🚫 Oxytocin's effects are selective, making individuals nicer only to those they perceive as part of their 'in-group', potentially intensifying tribalism.
• 🧪 A study in the Netherlands demonstrated that oxytocin can increase in-group bias, as people were less willing to sacrifice individuals from out-groups in moral dilemmas.
• 🧠 Brain scans reveal that the amygdala, responsible for fear and aggression, activates more readily in response to faces perceived as 'others'.
• 👶 By 10 months old, children begin to differentiate between 'us' and 'them', reflecting deep-seated tribal instincts.
• 🔧 These biases are fast and unconscious, but can be influenced by experiences and environment, showing that they are not entirely fixed.

Q & A

What is the primary function of oxytocin in most species?

Oxytocin is primarily associated with bonding between mothers and infants, facilitating their connection and attachment.

How does the absence of oxytocin affect maternal behavior in lab rats?

If lab rats have their oxytocin genes knocked out, they fail to attach to their newborns, indicating that oxytocin is crucial for maternal recognition and attachment.

What new role did oxytocin acquire around 60 million years ago in certain species?

Oxytocin began to be used in species that form pair bonds and mate for life, helping to maintain these long-term relationships.

How does oxytocin function in primates, including humans?

In primates, oxytocin is associated with trust, generosity, and a sense of connectedness, going beyond its initial role in maternal bonding.

What is the unique adaptation involving oxytocin between humans and dogs?

Over the last 20,000 to 30,000 years, humans and dogs have evolved together, and mutual gazing between a human and a dog can lead to the secretion of oxytocin in both, enhancing their bond.

What does the study on the runaway trolley problem reveal about the influence of oxytocin on moral decision-making?

The study shows that oxytocin does not universally increase pro-social behavior; instead, it intensifies feelings towards those already considered part of 'us,' potentially leading to more hostile behavior towards 'them.'

How does oxytocin affect the perception of people from different cultural backgrounds in the Netherlands study?

Oxytocin makes Dutch participants more likely to sacrifice individuals with German or Muslim names in the runaway trolley scenario, suggesting it amplifies in-group favoritism rather than universal kindness.

What role does the amygdala play in the unconscious perception of 'others'?

The amygdala, associated with fear and aggression, activates automatically in response to faces perceived as belonging to 'other' groups, indicating an unconscious bias.

How does the fusiform cortex contribute to the perception of faces from different social groups?

The fusiform cortex, responsible for face recognition, activates less strongly for faces from 'them' groups, suggesting that these faces are not processed as thoroughly or valued as those from the 'us' group.

What is the function of the anterior singulate in relation to empathy and pain perception?

The anterior singulate is involved in feeling and sharing the pain of others. However, it activates less when observing someone from a different racial or social group experiencing pain, indicating a reduced empathetic response.

How can long-term experiences and exposure to diversity influence the brain's automatic responses to 'us' and 'them'?

Long-term experiences, such as growing up in a racially mixed neighborhood or having relationships with people from different backgrounds, can reduce the automatic activation of areas like the amygdala in response to 'them,' suggesting that these biases are not fixed and can be altered.