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Study · Randomized controlled trial · n = 28 · 2013

2 results

Oxytocin enhances social persuasion during hypnosis.

Bryant RA, Hung L

PloS one5 Apr 2013Cited by 5 (Europe PMC)

PMID23577153 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC3618033 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1371/journal.pone.0060711 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-23577153
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Summary

It has long been argued that hypnosis cannot promote behaviors that people will not otherwise engage in. Oxytocin can enhance trust in others, and may promote the extent to which a hypnotized person complies with the suggestion of a hypnotist. This double-blind placebo study administered oxytocin or placebo to high hypnotizable participants (N = 28), who were then administered hypnotic suggestions for socially unorthodox behaviors, including swearing during the experiment, singing out loud, and dancing in response to a posthypnotic cue. Participants who received oxytocin were significantly more likely to swear and dance than those who received the placebo. This finding may be interpreted in terms of oxytocin increasing social compliance in response as a function of (a) increased trust in the hypnotist, (b) reduced social anxiety, or (c) enhanced sensitivity to cues to respond to experimental expectations. These results point to the potential role of oxytocin in social persuasion.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study2

2 results from studies that gave the peptide. 2 results from people.

  1. 01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In highly hypnotizable participants, those given oxytocin were significantly more likely to swear in response to hypnotic suggestion than those given placebo.

    In plain wordsIn highly hypnotizable people, those given oxytocin were more likely to swear on hypnotic suggestion than those given placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseSwearing in response to hypnotic suggestion
    Study

    n = 28

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Participants who received oxytocin were significantly more likely to swear and dance than those who received the placebo.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    This double-blind placebo study administered oxytocin or placebo to high hypnotizable participants (N = 28), who were then administered hypnotic suggestions for socially unorthodox behaviors, including swearing during the experiment, singing out loud, and dancing in response to a posthypnotic cue.
  2. 02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In highly hypnotizable participants, those given oxytocin were significantly more likely to dance in response to a posthypnotic cue than those given placebo.

    In plain wordsIn highly hypnotizable people, those given oxytocin were more likely to dance on a posthypnotic cue than those given placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseDancing in response to a posthypnotic cue
    Study

    n = 28

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Cognition and memory · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Participants who received oxytocin were significantly more likely to swear and dance than those who received the placebo.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    This double-blind placebo study administered oxytocin or placebo to high hypnotizable participants (N = 28), who were then administered hypnotic suggestions for socially unorthodox behaviors, including swearing during the experiment, singing out loud, and dancing in response to a posthypnotic cue.

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

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, 02:49 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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