Oxytocin and Non-verbal Communication

Exploring the Effects of Oxytocin on Non-verbal Communication

In this protocol registration, the investigators plan a secondary data analysis of a dataset to explore the effects of intra-nasal oxytocin on the non-verbal expression of affiliation.

Using Liu et al.'s (2012) dataset, the investigators seek to observe whether the administration of oxytocin modifies non-verbal communication with a stranger.

This dataset involves a conversation between two strangers that took place 45 minutes after drug administration. While Liu et al. coded the video for markers of interpersonal distance (physical distance, eye contact, conversational intimacy), the investigators seek to analyse oxytocin's effects on non-verbal communication of affiliative and sexual cues (e.g., smiles, lip puckers). Based on findings that oxytocin's effects depend on context, the investigators will explore these relationships as a function of the conversational context (where participants converse with each other using low-, medium-, and high-intimacy topics, or in an unstructured conversation).

Inclusion Criteria:

• healthy

Exclusion Criteria:

• pregnant;
• history of epilepsy, severe depression, severe anxiety, or psychosis;
• smoking more than 15 cigarettes a day;
• addicted to illegal substances.