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Study · Non-randomized trial · n = 77 · 2021

3 results

Does oxytocin shield against negative effects of ostracism? A replication and extension.

Pfundmair M, Echterhoff G

Biological psychology31 May 2021Cited by 7 (Europe PMC)

PMID34082039 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108128 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-34082039
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 study3

3 results from studies that gave the peptide. 3 results from people.

  1. 01HumanNon-randomized trialEfficacy outcome

    In men, oxytocin tended to attenuate the drop in social comfort in response to ostracism versus placebo.

    In plain wordsIn men, oxytocin tended to soften the drop in social comfort after being excluded, compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseSocial comfort after ostracism
    Study

    n = 77

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

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Results showed that OT tended to attenuate the drop in social comfort in response to ostracism
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Seventy-seven males, who varied on potential moderating features, were administered OT or a placebo, and were ostracized or included in the Cyberball paradigm.
  2. 02HumanNon-randomized trialEfficacy outcome

    In men, oxytocin induced participants, particularly those high in horizontal collectivism, to toss the ball more often toward a co-player who had ostracized them earlier, versus placebo.

    In plain wordsIn men, oxytocin led them to throw the ball more often to a player who had excluded them, compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseBall tossing toward the previously ostracizing co-player
    Study

    n = 77

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Social behavior and cognition · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    induced participants, particularly those high in horizontal collectivism, to toss the ball more often toward an approaching co-player who had ostracized them earlier.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Seventy-seven males, who varied on potential moderating features, were administered OT or a placebo, and were ostracized or included in the Cyberball paradigm.
  3. 03HumanNon-randomized trialEfficacy outcome

    In men, attachment avoidance did not moderate the effects of oxytocin on responses to ostracism.

    In plain wordsIn men, how much a person avoids attachment did not change the effects of oxytocin on responses to exclusion.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeModeration by attachment avoidance
    Study

    n = 77

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Social behavior and cognition · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Attachment avoidance did not moderate these effects.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Seventy-seven males, who varied on potential moderating features, were administered OT or a placebo, and were ostracized or included in the Cyberball paradigm.

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, 00:50 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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