Contributor

Holly Bowen, Austin Baldwin, David Rosenfield, Benjamin Tabak

Abstract

This study investigated the role of oxytocin (OT) in feelings of social connectedness. Healthy male and female participants (N=138) were exposed to a task designed to elicit feelings of social connectedness to close others (i.e., the Social Connection Task); participants’ salivary OT levels were measured in response to this task. Using ecological momentary assessment (EMA), data were collected on participants’ feelings of social connectedness in daily life. Results from the current study showed that, among male participants, OT levels decreased in response to the Social Connection Task, while no change in OT was observed among female participants. OT reactivity to the task (indexed as the area under the curve with respect to increase; AUCi) was not significantly associated with levels of trait loneliness. EMA data, however, revealed a significant association between OT reactivity and feelings of social connectedness in daily life – specifically among male participants. Overall, participants reported feeling more socially connected when they were around others compared to when they were alone. For male participants, however, OT reactivity played a significant role in the strength of this effect. Those with higher levels of OT reactivity experienced a more pronounced increase in social connectedness when around others, compared to when they were alone. In other words, the impact of being with others (versus being alone) was stronger for male participants with higher levels of OT reactivity. For female participants, on the other hand, OT reactivity did not significantly impact feelings of social connectedness when around others (versus when alone). These results provide preliminary evidence for theoretical models implicating the OT system in individuals’ social sensitivity to social experiences.

Degree Date

Summer 2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Department

Psychology

Advisor

Holly Bowen

Number of Pages

72

Format

.pdf

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

Download

Share

COinS