Evolution & Human Behavior
Volume 29, Issue 6 , Pages 375-383, November 2008

Monetary sacrifice among strangers is mediated by endogenous oxytocin release after physical contact

  • Vera B. Morhenn

      Affiliations

    • Division of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA 92103, USA
    • ,
  • Jang Woo Park

      Affiliations

    • Center for Neuroeconomics Studies, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA 91711, USA
    • ,
  • Elisabeth Piper

      Affiliations

    • Center for Neuroeconomics Studies, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA 91711, USA
    • ,
  • Paul J. Zak

      Affiliations

    • Center for Neuroeconomics Studies, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA 91711, USA
    • Department of Neurology, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Center for Neuroeconomics Studies, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA 91711, USA. Tel.: +1 909 621 8788.

Received 7 August 2007; received in revised form 15 April 2008 published online 01 July 2008.

Abstract 

Humans frequently sacrifice resources to help others—even strangers. The proximate mechanisms inducing such sacrifices are not well understood, and we hypothesized that touch might provoke a sacrifice of money to a stranger. We found that touch significantly elevated circulating oxytocin (OT) levels but only when it was followed by an intentional act of trust. Touch followed by trust increased monetary sacrifice by 243% relative to untouched controls. We also found that women were more susceptible than men to OT release and monetary sacrifice after touch. This suggests that touch draws on physiologic mechanisms that support cooperative behaviors in humans.

Keywords: Cooperation, Altruism, Sacrifice, Trust, Touch

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PII: S1090-5138(08)00048-2

doi:10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2008.04.004

Evolution & Human Behavior
Volume 29, Issue 6 , Pages 375-383, November 2008

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