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Study · Randomized controlled trial · n = 40 · 2015

4 results

Differential Effects of Oxytocin on Agency and Communion for Anxiously and Avoidantly Attached Individuals.

Bartz JA, Lydon JE, Kolevzon A, Zaki J, Hollander E, Ludwig N, Bolger N

Psychological science29 Jun 2015Cited by 50 (Europe PMC)

PMID26122122 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1177/0956797615580279 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-26122122
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 40 men, intranasal oxytocin produced a slight increase in self-rated communion for the average participant compared with placebo.

    In plain wordsIn men, oxytocin slightly raised how communal (kind, warm) people rated themselves, compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseSelf-rated communion, average participant
    Study

    n = 40

    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 produced a slight increase in communion for the average participant; however, as predicted, avoidantly attached individuals were especially likely to perceive themselves as more communal ("kind," "warm," "gentle," etc.) after receiving oxytocin than after receiving the placebo.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Using a within-subjects design, we administered intranasal oxytocin and placebo to 40 males and measured their agency (self-orientation) and communion (other-orientation).
  2. 02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In 40 men, intranasal oxytocin had no main effect on self-rated agency for the average participant compared with placebo.

    In plain wordsIn men, oxytocin had no overall effect on how independent and self-confident they rated themselves, compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeSelf-rated agency, average participant
    Study

    n = 40

    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
    There was no main effect of oxytocin on agency for the average participant; however, anxiously attached individuals showed a selective decrease in agency ("independent," "self-confident," etc.) following administration of oxytocin.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Using a within-subjects design, we administered intranasal oxytocin and placebo to 40 males and measured their agency (self-orientation) and communion (other-orientation).
  3. 03HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In men with avoidant attachment, oxytocin increased self-perceived communion more than placebo.

    In plain wordsIn men with avoidant attachment, oxytocin made them rate themselves as more communal than placebo did.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseSelf-rated communion in avoidantly attached individuals
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    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 produced a slight increase in communion for the average participant; however, as predicted, avoidantly attached individuals were especially likely to perceive themselves as more communal ("kind," "warm," "gentle," etc.) after receiving oxytocin than after receiving the placebo.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Using a within-subjects design, we administered intranasal oxytocin and placebo to 40 males and measured their agency (self-orientation) and communion (other-orientation).
  4. 04HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In men with anxious attachment, oxytocin selectively decreased self-rated agency compared with placebo.

    In plain wordsIn men with anxious attachment, oxytocin lowered how independent and self-confident they rated themselves, compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    DecreaseSelf-rated agency in anxiously attached individuals
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    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
    There was no main effect of oxytocin on agency for the average participant; however, anxiously attached individuals showed a selective decrease in agency ("independent," "self-confident," etc.) following administration of oxytocin.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Using a within-subjects design, we administered intranasal oxytocin and placebo to 40 males and measured their agency (self-orientation) and communion (other-orientation).

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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