Learning that Benefits Others:  The Effects of Oxytocin on Prosocial Learning and the Role of Empathy

Background: Humans do not only act to benefit themselves but also others, i.e. they engage in prosocial behavior. This is especially true for people high in empathy. A prerequisite for prosocial behavior is that people learn how to obtain benefits for others (prosocial reinforcement learning). Studies indicate enhancing effects of oxytocin on prosocial behavior; however, little is known about the relationship between oxytocin, learning to benefit others, and empathy. This study investigated the effects of oxytocin on prosocial reinforcement learning and whether these effects differ based on empathic abilities. Method: A double-blind placebo-controlled cross-sectional study was conducted. Healthy male participants (N=28) were administered 24 international units of intranasal oxytocin or a placebo and performed a prosocial learning task in which they could earn a monetary reward for oneself, another person, or no one. Empathy was measured with the online simulation subscale (Reniers...Show moreBackground: Humans do not only act to benefit themselves but also others, i.e. they engage in prosocial behavior. This is especially true for people high in empathy. A prerequisite for prosocial behavior is that people learn how to obtain benefits for others (prosocial reinforcement learning). Studies indicate enhancing effects of oxytocin on prosocial behavior; however, little is known about the relationship between oxytocin, learning to benefit others, and empathy. This study investigated the effects of oxytocin on prosocial reinforcement learning and whether these effects differ based on empathic abilities. Method: A double-blind placebo-controlled cross-sectional study was conducted. Healthy male participants (N=28) were administered 24 international units of intranasal oxytocin or a placebo and performed a prosocial learning task in which they could earn a monetary reward for oneself, another person, or no one. Empathy was measured with the online simulation subscale (Reniers et al., 2011). Results: Results revealed no significant difference in prosocial learning when participants received oxytocin or placebo. Further, the effects of oxytocin did not significantly differ when empathy was taken into account. Conclusions: Findings suggest that oxytocin does not facilitate prosocial learning. Further, empathy did not have an influence on the effects of oxytocin on prosocial learning. Although the findings did not provide supportive evidence for the Social Salience Hypothesis (ShamayTsoory & Abu-Akel, 2016), the current study revealed new insights on potential effects of oxytocin on reinforcement learning in a prosocial context considering empathy.Show less

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Learning that Benefits Others: The Effects of Oxytocin on Prosocial Learning and the Role of Empathy