Oxytocin Linked to Group Competition
Charlotte C. Debras et al. Us against Them: Oxytocin Response to Competition in a Small-Scale Human Society. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 6 May, 2026. DOI:10.17605/OSF.IO/UK8PA
A study by the University of Zurich shows that the “love hormone” oxytocin plays an important role not only in social bonding but also in competition. In football tournaments involving the Indigenous Tsimane’ people, oxytocin levels increased particularly when teams competed against familiar rivals or clearly defined opposing groups.
Notably, this increase was observed only in men, while no changes were found in women—possibly due to higher baseline levels or different forms of social competition.
The findings suggest that oxytocin influences both team cohesion and competition between groups, highlighting its important role in cooperation and group dynamics.