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Oxytocin promotes social bonding in dogs - Coggle Diagram
Oxytocin promotes social bonding in dogs
Introduction
New evidence suggests that sociability is adaptive because competition and reproduction of social organisms are affected by the nature and quality of the social bonds
they create.
Fitness is also affected because individuals with more same sex social bonds experience higher longevity and offspring survival.
We dont know much about the neurochemistry of social behavior, and so they turn to Oxytocin in this study and how it facilitates inter-individual relationships. They turn to Oxytocin because recent studies has found that oxy influences more complex forms of social behavior and cognition in humans and nonhuman primates
Oxytocin is responcible for many processes such as birthing, lactating, pair-bonding, parental care, sexual behavior, peer recognition, and social memory.
Purpose of the study
To study whether the domesticated dog's Oxytocin modulates the maintenance of enduring, close social bonds in a non-reproductive contexts.
If the hypothesis is true we should see that dogs that are given Oxytocin show more positive behaviors toward partners than when given placebos.
Results:
Exogenous Oxytocin promotes positive social behaviors in the domestic dog toward dogs and their human partners.
when dogs were given an intranasal spray of Oxytocin we found that dogs showed higher social orientation and affiliation toward their human partners and higher affiliation and approach behaviors toward dog partners than when sprayed with the placebo.
Oxy caused higher levels of affiliation, social orientation, and social approach with their owners and dog partners.
Sociopositive behavior with dogs released endogenous oxytocin. Which shows a connection of Oxytocin in the development of social relationships in the domestic dog
It's exciting to see how dogs react to humans in the neurochemical level. Oxytocin is responsible for many "feel good hormone" in humans. To think that oxy promotes feelings of higher affiliation towards humans is endearing. It's an evolutionary step as to why dogs became mans best friend.
Methods:
Gave oxytocin to dogs through the intranasal route because it’s a direct pathway to the brain (transnasal penetration to brain).
After the oxy was administered the dogs were placed in a room for an hour. In the room was their owner and a familiar dog. The researchers observed their behavior.
Urinary oxy levels were measured as well before and after treatment administration. To see if the oxytocinergic system that supports bond formation functions as a bio-behavioral feedback loop.
reference: Romero T, Nagasawa M, Mogi K, Hasegawa T, Kikusui T. 2014. Oxytocin promotes social bonding in dogs. Pnas 111(25):9085–9090.
My question: You know dogs and cats have been domesticated more many many centuries and they have evolved together with humans. I wonder what would happen if they do a similar experiment with cats?