Oxytocin Research

The research conducted by Paul Zak about trust, morality, and oxytocin was very enlightening as well as, entertaining to watch the video. Watching the video first made reading his article easier to understand and follow. His research suggests that oxytocin is a moral molecule that makes people moral and trustworthy. The research conducted was very convincing and provides several different experiments to support the claim.

Paul Zak describes Oxytocin (OT) as a molecule found in only mammals, and in rodents it was known to make mothers care for their offspring. In humans it is known to facilitate birth and breastfeeding in women and released by both sexes during sex. OT is produced in the brain and in the blood. Paul calls it a trust molecule or moral molecule. The textbook definition of oxytocin is “A hormone, released from the posterior pituitary that triggers milk letdown in the nursing female” (Breedlove, 2013, pg. 138). Trust according to Paul is indispensable in relationships and a key factor in economics and politics because without it our society would breakdown. He believes that you cannot have morality without trustworthiness, and that trustworthy people are more prosperous. These definitions are supported by research, as well as, personal experiences and beliefs.

Paul Zak’s research included several different experiments: laboratory, real life experiments, and social media experiments. Research of a large body of animals indicated that OT is a contributing factor to understanding why people trust. Further research was conducted on rodents, which began in the late 1970’s. This research discovered that OT and arginine vasopressin molecules promoted affiliation with others. The animal work indicated that OT in some ways fa...

... middle of paper ...

...ect results to the role of oxytocin and how this molecule can be labeled as the morality molecule. Other possibilities and explanations need to be researched to be ruled out to conclude and support the function of OT. There is a wealth of research that has been done over the past few years and many different scientist have introduced the idea that oxytocin is a moral molecule that make people more trustworthy and allows people to be morally right. With any research there is always negativity and scrutiny that comes along with it. Most of the research found supports that OT is in fact molecule and being injected with OT or having higher levels of OT can be linked to causing people to do morally and trustworthy things. I agree with the definitions provided, and the measures of research constructed, but still believe there are other explanations not properly explored.