Oxytocin not only increases trust when money is at stake, but also when confidential information is in the balance

Abstract

Past studies have suggested that the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) could play a crucial role in human trusting behavior. Specifically, people on OT would be more willing to entrust someone with their money than would people on a placebo. Because alternative explanations-which do not involve trust-exist for these studies' findings, the present study aimed to rule out confounds and test how OT influences trust behavior in a totally different context. The variable at stake was not money but confidential information. Sixty participants were randomly assigned to receive either OT or a placebo. Results showed that oxytocin does increase trust, and that its effects extend beyond money. Specifically, participants on OT were 44 times more trusting that their privacy would not be violated than participants on placebo.