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. 2014 Sep 11:1580:180-7.
doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2013.07.015. Epub 2013 Jul 18.

Oxytocin eliminates the own-race bias in face recognition memory

Iris Blandón-Gitlin  1 , Kathy Pezdek  2 , Sesar Saldivar  3 , Erin Steelman  3
Affiliations

Oxytocin eliminates the own-race bias in face recognition memory

Iris Blandón-Gitlin et al. Brain Res. .

Abstract

The neuropeptide Oxytocin influences a number of social behaviors, including processing of faces. We examined whether Oxytocin facilitates the processing of out-group faces and reduce the own-race bias (ORB). The ORB is a robust phenomenon characterized by poor recognition memory of other-race faces compared to the same-race faces. In Experiment 1, participants received intranasal solutions of Oxytocin or placebo prior to viewing White and Black faces. On a subsequent recognition test, whereas in the placebo condition the same-race faces were better recognized than other-race faces, in the Oxytocin condition Black and White faces were equally well recognized, effectively eliminating the ORB. In Experiment 2, Oxytocin was administered after the study phase. The ORB resulted, but Oxytocin did not significantly reduce the effect. This study is the first to show that Oxytocin can enhance face memory of out-group members and underscore the importance of social encoding mechanisms underlying the own-race bias. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Oxytocin and Social Behav.

Keywords: Encoding; Face recognition; Other-race bias; Oxytocin.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Experiment 1 (pre-encoding substance intake). Four dependent measures presented as a function of race of face and condition. Errors bars represent standard errors of the means. The principal finding on the d′ rate shows the predicted interaction; whereas in the placebo condition the same-race faces were better recognized than other-race faces, in the Oxytocin condition the same- and other-race faces were equally well recognized, effectively eliminating the own-race bias.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Experiment 2 (post-encoding substance intake). Four dependent measures presented as a function race of face and condition. Errors bars represent standard errors of the means. The principal finding on the d′ rate shows a main effect of face but not a significant interaction. This indicates that the typical own-race bias occurred in both treatment conditions and post-encoding OT did not have a significant effect on recognition memory.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Events and behavioral tasks completed in each phase of Experiments 1 and 2.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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