The animal and human neuroendocrinology of social cognition, motivation and behavior

Cade McCall; Tania Singer

doi:10.1038/nn.3084

The animal and human neuroendocrinology of social cognition, motivation and behavior

Cade McCall, Tania Singer

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Extensive animal and recent human research have helped inform neuroendocrinological models of social cognition, motivation and behavior. In this review, we first summarize important findings regarding oxytocin, arginine vasopressin and testosterone in the domains of affiliation, social cognition, aggression and stress/anxiety. We then suggest ways in which human research can continue to profit from animal research, particularly by exploring the interactive nature of neuromodulatory effects at neurochemical, organismic and contextual levels. We further propose methods inspired by the animal literature for the ecologically valid assessment of affiliative behavior in humans. We conclude with suggestions for how human research could advance by directly assessing specific social cognitive and motivational mechanisms as intermediate variables. We advocate a more comprehensive look at the distinct networks identified by social neuroscience and the importance of a motivational state, in addition to approach and avoidance, associated with quiescence and homeostatic regulation.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	681-8
Number of pages	8
Journal	Nature neuroscience
Volume	15
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.3084
Publication status	Published - May 2012

Keywords

Animals
Arginine Vasopressin
Cognition
Humans
Motivation
Neuroendocrinology
Social Behavior
Vasopressins

Access to Document

10.1038/nn.3084

Cite this

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abstract = "Extensive animal and recent human research have helped inform neuroendocrinological models of social cognition, motivation and behavior. In this review, we first summarize important findings regarding oxytocin, arginine vasopressin and testosterone in the domains of affiliation, social cognition, aggression and stress/anxiety. We then suggest ways in which human research can continue to profit from animal research, particularly by exploring the interactive nature of neuromodulatory effects at neurochemical, organismic and contextual levels. We further propose methods inspired by the animal literature for the ecologically valid assessment of affiliative behavior in humans. We conclude with suggestions for how human research could advance by directly assessing specific social cognitive and motivational mechanisms as intermediate variables. We advocate a more comprehensive look at the distinct networks identified by social neuroscience and the importance of a motivational state, in addition to approach and avoidance, associated with quiescence and homeostatic regulation.",

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