Today I Learned

glatt · 05-08-2014, 10:06 AM

Oxytocin. Holy shit. Do we even have any control over what we do?

Saw this MIT student video on FB this morning.

This hormone controls so much of our behavior. It has a lot of female physical stuff it does around childbirth, but the interesting thing is the emotional trust, bonding, and generosity it causes in both men and women. And the hormone is produced when we witness others bonding or we are among friends or are physically touched. It totally manipulates our behavior, for example, it's probably responsible for us being monogamous. It increases our generosity and ability to interact with others. It even aids in wound healing by reducing inflammation. So having someone emotionally supporting you as you heal really does make a difference.

It's even a dessert topping and a floor polish.

How have I never heard of this hormone before?

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05-08-2014, 10:06 AM	#11
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Oxytocin. Holy shit. Do we even have any control over what we do? Saw this MIT student video on FB this morning. This hormone controls so much of our behavior. It has a lot of female physical stuff it does around childbirth, but the interesting thing is the emotional trust, bonding, and generosity it causes in both men and women. And the hormone is produced when we witness others bonding or we are among friends or are physically touched. It totally manipulates our behavior, for example, it's probably responsible for us being monogamous. It increases our generosity and ability to interact with others. It even aids in wound healing by reducing inflammation. So having someone emotionally supporting you as you heal really does make a difference. It's even a dessert topping and a floor polish. How have I never heard of this hormone before?

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