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Study · Randomized controlled trial · n = 56 · 2009

4 results

Intranasal administration of oxytocin increases envy and schadenfreude (gloating).

Shamay-Tsoory SG, Fischer M, Dvash J, Harari H, Perach-Bloom N, Levkovitz Y

Biological psychiatry29 Jul 2009Cited by 326 (Europe PMC)

PMID19640508 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.06.009 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-19640508
Publisher pagePubMedAsk about this study
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Summary

The text of this summary is not shown here, because the article license does not allow reuse. Read it at the source (opens in a new tab)

Text rights: Publisher copyright. Results still quote short attributed sentences.

Results from this study4

4 results from studies that gave the peptide. 4 results from people.

  1. 01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In study participants, intranasal oxytocin increased envy ratings versus placebo when the participant gained less money than another player.

    In plain wordsIn study participants, oxytocin raised envy ratings more than placebo when the participant won less money than another player.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseEnvy ratings during unequal gain with relative loss
    Study

    n = 56

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Social behavior and cognition · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In comparison with the placebo, oxytocin increased the envy ratings during unequal monetary gain conditions involving relative loss (when the participant gained less money than another player).
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Fifty-six participants participated in this double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subject study.
    Summary · context
    Following the administration of oxytocin or a placebo, participants played a game of chance with another (fake) participant who either won more money (envy manipulation), lost more money (schadenfreude manipulation), or won/lost equal amounts of money.
  2. 02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In study participants, intranasal oxytocin increased gloating ratings versus placebo when the participant gained more money than the other player.

    In plain wordsIn study participants, oxytocin raised gloating ratings more than placebo when the participant won more money than another player.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseGloating (schadenfreude) ratings during relative gain
    Study

    n = 56

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Social behavior and cognition · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Oxytocin also increased the ratings of gloating during relative gain conditions (when the participant gained more money than the other player).
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Fifty-six participants participated in this double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subject study.
    Summary · context
    Following the administration of oxytocin or a placebo, participants played a game of chance with another (fake) participant who either won more money (envy manipulation), lost more money (schadenfreude manipulation), or won/lost equal amounts of money.
  3. 03HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In study participants, intranasal oxytocin did not change emotional ratings after equal monetary gains versus placebo.

    In plain wordsIn study participants, oxytocin did not change emotion ratings after equal money gains, compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeEmotional ratings after equal monetary gains
    Study

    n = 56

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Anxiety and mood · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    oxytocin had no effect on the emotional ratings following equal monetary gains
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Fifty-six participants participated in this double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subject study.
    Summary · context
    Following the administration of oxytocin or a placebo, participants played a game of chance with another (fake) participant who either won more money (envy manipulation), lost more money (schadenfreude manipulation), or won/lost equal amounts of money.
  4. 04HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In study participants, intranasal oxytocin did not affect general mood ratings versus placebo.

    In plain wordsIn study participants, oxytocin did not change general mood ratings, compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeGeneral mood ratings
    Study

    n = 56

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Anxiety and mood · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    nor did it affect general mood ratings.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Fifty-six participants participated in this double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subject study.
    Summary · context
    Following the administration of oxytocin or a placebo, participants played a game of chance with another (fake) participant who either won more money (envy manipulation), lost more money (schadenfreude manipulation), or won/lost equal amounts of money.

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Registered trials1

Trials this study reports on, or that list this study as a reference. Registry data from ClinicalTrials.gov.

1 trial · 1 completed · 1 with posted results · source ClinicalTrials.gov (opens in a new tab)

CompletedNot applicableResults postedNCT01312272

Does Acute Oxytocin Administration Enhance Social Cognition in Individuals With Schizophrenia?

VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare Systemn = 24Apr 2011 to Aug 2012

Schizophrenia

Trial pageClinicalTrials.govUpdated 2 May 2014

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

  1. Version 2Current

    11 Oct 2026, 01:30 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    9 Oct 2026, 02:50 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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