By U. Zurich
Researchers at the University of Zurich (UZH) have shown that oxytocin levels increase when rivalry or clearly defined groups are involved—particularly in men.
“Previous work showed that receiving oxytocin via a nasal spray can make people more ‘groupish’,” says Charlotte Debras from UZH’s Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, who conducted the study as part of her doctoral research.
“But it wasn’t known whether OT naturally increased during group competition.”
To systematically study competition, the researchers organized soccer tournaments together with the Indigenous Tsimane’ people in the Bolivian Amazon.
“The Tsimane’ lifestyle has an effect on their hormone levels,” says Adrian Jaeggi, also from UZH’s Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, who has been conducting research on site since 2011.
For example, levels of reproductive hormones like testosterone or progesterone are lower when calories are harder to come by. Meanwhile, the kinds of social factors linked to OT are likely especially important in these highly interdependent societies. To test their hypothesis, the researchers measured oxytocin levels in the urine of soccer players before and after the matches.
Oxytocin levels increased most strongly after matches against familiar rivals but less so among teams from different communities. When Tsimane’ played against non-Tsimane’ people, however, the increase was again higher.
“This suggests that oxytocin is sensitive to the salience of the opposition—showing heightened reactivity both toward familiar competitors and toward a clearly defined out-group,” says Jaeggi.
One particularly striking finding of the study was that women’s OT levels did not differ before or after games, unlike men’s. Debras mentions several possible explanations for this.
“Firstly, women start from higher baseline levels, as many of them were breastfeeding, which could make it harder to detect a change.”
It is also possible that soccer may not hold the same significance for women, as they play less often than men. Another explanation is provided by the “male warrior hypothesis,” which proposes that men have evolved to be generally more invested in group competition.
“The most important forms of rivalry for Tsimane’ women may involve relational dynamics, such as managing reputations or jostling for social support, rather than physical competition,” says Debras.
The study does not make it possible to determine whether the increase in OT primarily promotes cohesion within the team or competition with the opposing group. In team sports, both aspects are closely intertwined.
“Cooperation can be a successful way to compete in the game of life, and OT seems to be a key ingredient for this,” says Jaeggi. “OT has been linked to group conflict in many different species, from fish to chimpanzees. Our findings suggest that similar mechanisms are at play in humans.”
The research appears in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Source: University of Zurich
—
This post was previously published on FUTURITY.ORG and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
—
At The Good Men Project, we are glad to syndicate work from Futurity, a publication dedicated to making research and science news accessible to the public. We value Futurity because it takes serious work from universities and researchers around the world and translates it into clear, readable stories that help people understand what is changing in science, health, technology, behavior, and public life.
That matters to us for more than one reason. We believe good information is part of how people live well in a rapidly changing world. Research can sometimes feel distant, technical, or intimidating, but it often speaks directly to the questions people are already living with: how relationships work, how stress affects behavior, how health is shaped, how communities change, and how new discoveries may alter daily life in the years ahead. Futurity helps close that gap. It also plays an important role in making evidence-based knowledge more accessible at a time when misinformation, cynicism, and distrust of expertise can make it harder for people to know what to believe. That is one reason we are glad to share this work with our readers.
FAQs – About The Good Men Project
What is The Good Men Project?
The Good Men Project is a mission-driven media platform founded in 2010 that explores modern masculinity, men’s mental health, relationships, fatherhood, identity, and social change through personal stories, expert insights, and cultural analysis.
What is The Good Men Project’s mission?
Our mission is to expand the conversation about what it means to be a good man in the 21st century — in ways that are inclusive, emotionally honest, and grounded in real human experience.
How does GMP approach content about science and technology?
We examine science and technology through their impact on human lives. From AI and automation to social media and climate science, GMP explores how rapid technological change affects identity, work, relationships, mental health, civic responsibility and the future we all are inheriting and civic responsibility. We partner with other trusted sources, and believe in science and research to inform good decisions in a rapidly changing world.
—
If you believe in the work we are doing here at The Good Men Project, please join us as a Premium Member today.
All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS.
Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here.
The Good Men Project is a mission-driven media platform founded in 2010 that helps writers, brands, agencies, and organizations build credibility, audience, and long-term authority. By publishing stories about masculinity, mental health, relationships, fatherhood, identity, and personal development, GMP provides a trusted ecosystem where ideas gain visibility, trust, and resilience in both search and AI-driven discovery. The platform supports individual contributors as well as high-volume agencies through paid guest posts, sponsored content, and bulk publishing systems designed for scale.
—
Photo credit: iStock.com
