Scientists have discovered that the hormone oxytocin could help wallflowers overcome awkwardness in social situations
The chemical dubbed “the hormone of love” is known to increase empathy and bonding – especially parents and their children.
But now researchers have found it improves the social skills of the shy – but has little effect on those who are naturally confident.
The finding could have implications for those with severe social deficiencies, often apparent in conditions like autism.
They conducted a test of 27 healthy adult men, giving them the hormone or a placebo via a nasal spray and then asking them to perform an ’empathic accuracy task’ – which measures their powers of reading the thoughts and feelings of others.
This involved watching others discussing emotional moments in their lives, then rating how they felt those people were feeling.
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