Oxytocin-Racism Link? 'Love Hormone' May Promote Hostility Between Groups

The Observer:

Carsten de Dreu, 44, a professor of psychology at the University of Amsterdam... has been exploring the role of the "love" hormone oxytocin in group dynamics and inter-group competition. His latest experiments, the results of which have been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, indicate a potentially more negative side.

Read the whole story: The Observer

Comments

[JaxReader]

05:42 PM on 03/07/2011

Interestingly in a medical journal I was reading (JAMA I think), there was a study done which basically concluded that our brains are so wired to classify things into groups that variables such as shirt color became more significant in grouping people when presented with flash memory tests. Skin color and ethnicity was still significant in grouping, but it was increasingly insignificant if the groups were first organized by verbal cues, or as I mentioned shirt color.

Perhaps were not preprogrammed to be 'racist', but our brains are preprogrammed to classify groups of people based on criteria that differentiates them. Evolutionarily that makes sense.

[chillwind]

02:08 AM on 02/04/2011

Genetically, different human races don't exist. The concept of race is a failed and long outdated scientific hypothesis that has been socially enculturated and unfortunately, perpetuated.
The race concept was most heavily promoted initially here in the US in the 18th century as means to justify slavery. Dark skinned Africans were much easier to spot among the general population than fair skinned indentured servants from Europe when they ran away.

The research suggests oxytocin may somehow indicate clan behavior, but we humans are generally social animals, and find comfort in groups, so that part's not too shocking. While it may prove to be true that most people prefer what's familiar, and certainly social concepts of the "Other" are abundant in all historical literature (prior to the current concept of racism), attempts to link this neurotransmitter to the evolution of racism as we know it is a strech.
Not to mention that scientific understanding of neurochemicals and the brain is in its infancy.

[Firehorsegirl]

02:35 AM on 02/02/2011

Nonfinding.

[NoSillyName]

01:02 PM on 02/01/2011

I don't agree with this study at all. " ... men of Dutch origin to judge people with typical Dutch, Arab and German names; in the Netherlands, a lot of immigrants and Germans are perceived as out-groups.". This obviously raised many unanswered questions and in no way does it translate to wider implications.

[maori]

12:59 PM on 02/01/2011

So what happens to people who were raised racist, but through exposure or education later change their minds? Do their hormone levels change too?

What about people raised by persons of different races than themselves?

Why are people able to fall in love with people of different races?

I know there are people who believe racism is natural, I've seen otherwise.

[realitytrumpsbull]

11:58 AM on 02/01/2011

Nice. 'My hormones made me do it'. I think racism comes mainly from ignorance. When we don't know other people, and they look different than we do, talk differently than we do, have a different social and cultural background, that's where that stuff mainly comes from, not hormones. Love hormones? Sex hormones? Well, there's apparently a lot of that, because there's a lot of people, and some people are kind of xenoPHILES, they 'love' people that are different than themselves in terms of background and makeup etc. It's exotic, it's different, something new etc. Except, it's not, and under the paint and so forth, people are a lot more similar, than they are different. And, once you 'get' that, getting along smoothly with people regardless of differences will be a lot easier.

[ThinkCreeps]

06:30 AM on 02/01/2011

If the experiment was done with mixed-race groups, I would be surprised if the result was any different - the enhanced bonding is within the group.

[realitytrumpsbull]

12:05 PM on 02/01/2011

Here we go again with the 'bonding'. People gripe about political propaganda and religious literature, I think they should consider getting rid of 'furry sweater' books while they're at it. In dealing with people, regardless of who they are, where they're from, there's no substitute for using your own two eyes, and your best judgement, and the old 'do unto others', meaning, treat others as you yourself would like to be treated, learn some civility, and stop trying to treat people like a laboratory test subject or some alien species etc. Not a bad opportunity for some of the old introspection, though, and to think about affinities. I think people tend to cling to the familiar. This is something I recognize, and am comfortable with, this is something that I do not recognize, understand, and am not comfortable with etc. But, 'going forward', our only real option in life, people and places will eventually become more homogenized, more commingled, which will eventually save a lot of jet fuel because people won't have to travel as much to find something or someone 'different'. And, eventually, it'll all sort of be just a continuation with small variations on the already familiar. Which is what it's always been, but people make a big deal out of it and how special they think THEY are or that they're inherently better or something like that. There's always people out there looking to start trouble...doesn't matter which 'ism' you're talking about, classism, racism, religionism, educationism, sneetchism...people can really be jerks when they put their minds to it.

[NoSillyName]

01:04 PM on 02/01/2011

If only there were a way to impose your rationality on large populations.

Imagine a better world...

[Richcrafter]

10:53 PM on 01/31/2011

I get it. I know it. Thank you for telling the truth.

[rjmtx]

09:40 PM on 01/31/2011

That was interesting. I wonder if it also plays a role in people becoming more attractive when you grow to know and like them and people becoming less attractive when you grow to know and dislike them.

We are really just a bunch of clannish apes when it comes down to it.

[urnumbersix]

06:47 PM on 01/31/2011

Finally!

A Scientific explanation for Limbaugh!

Makes sense....