The love hormone oxytocin can make us more accepting of other people, a new study has found.
Oxytocin is also called the bliss hormone. Animal studies have shown that this hormone plays an important role in keeping mating pairs together. This hormone helps establish lasting relationships and even reduces fear.
Researchers in the present study found that the oxytocin sharpened the brain's self-other differentiation- a function that helps people interact with each other and form close bonds. The study also found that the hormone increases positive evaluation of other people.
"Social bonding, mutual support, mate preference and parental investment are all mediated by the oxytocinergic system, which is heavily reliant on a person's ability to appreciate that self and others are both different and valuable,' said Valentina Colonnell, one of the study authors said in a news release.
In the study, participants were shown videos in which their faces were morphing into an unfamiliar face or vice versa. Participants were asked to press a button when they recognized the face. Some of the participants were exposed to oxytocin before the test.
Researchers found that of the 44 respondents, those who got an oxytocin shot recognized and differentiated images faster.
Experts also found that people receiving oxytocin were also more likely to rate others' faces as pleasant when compared to people who only rated themselves better-looking.
"The results of these studies advance our understanding of the role of the oxytocinergic system and could have far-reaching implications in the area of mother-infant bonding, the treatment of social disorders and for relationships in general," added Dr. Colonnello.
Earlier studies have linked oxytocin to improve social information processing ability in autistic children. A study published in Biological Psychiatry said that oxytocin can be used in treating autism.
A sharper self-other differentiation has been linked to better emotional confidence.
The latest study is published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology.