Oxytocin Means BusinessTERM PRESENTATION

BY: STEAVEN ROJAS

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What is Oxytocin?o Oxytocin is a nonapeptide hormone best known for its role in lactation.

o Since the early 1900s, we have identified the oxytocin hormone to play a role in uterine-contracting.

o Released by the posterior pituitary gland.

o The posterior pituitary gland, which is comprised of axons originating from the hypothalamus, serves a center of hormone secretion as part of the endocrine system.

o Primarily the posterior pituitary gland excretes oxytocin, responsible for uterine contractions, and lactation, and vasopressin, an antidiuretic hormone that stimulates water retention.

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What is Oxytocin?

o More recent developments have placed the oxytocin hormone in the not only a part of non-social behaviors but also for social behaviors as well.

o Besides learning, anxiety, feeding, and pain perception, Oxytocin plays an important role for social memory, attachment, sexual behaviors, and aggression.

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Business World: The Team

o Trust plays an integral role in how individuals behave in a team setting.

oTrust itself is a social tool that allows the creation of relationships both at the personal and professional level.

oCreated, and broken in a multitude of ways, trust varies from individual to individual.

oWhen inspected at the neurological level, Oxytocin plays a role in trustworthy behavior and perception.

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Modulating Behavior

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Trust, morality — and oxytocin?Paul Zak

Neuroeconomist

A pioneer in the field of neuroeconomics, Paul Zak is uncovering how the hormone oxytocin promotes trust, and proving that love is good for business.

“Oxytocin infusion increases generosity in unilateral monetary transfers by 80 percent [and] increases donations to charity by 50 percent.”

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The Moral Molecule: The Source of Love and Prosperity.

From the bucolic English countryside to the highlands of Papua New Guinea, from labs in Switzerland to his campus in Southern California, Dr. Paul Zak recounts his extraordinary stories and sets out, for the first time, his revolutionary theory of moral behavior.

The Moral Molecule reveals nothing less than the origins of our most human qualities—empathy, happiness, and the kindness of strangers

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WHY DO WE CARE?

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How To Be A Better: 10 science-backed ways to get more of what you want

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1. Hug it out

o If you meet Dr. Zak, the first thing he'll do is give you a hug.

o Even among strangers, hugging releases oxytocin.

o Last year, Dr. Zak spread the hugging bug to hardened New Yorkers at an event called Love Night, where strangers were encouraged to hug one another.

o "If it works on 500 random New Yorkers, it'll work for you,"

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2. Modify your handshake

o Touch is still important.

oDr. Zak suggests a modified handshake: One hand over the other. Making eye contact also makes the connection more powerful.

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3. Watch a tearjerker

o Seeing a powerful movie is the best oxytocin releaser Dr. Zak has found to date.

o When oxytocin is increased by 10-20%, noticeable behavior changes—like feeling more relaxed—result.

o Watching an emotionally compelling movie makes oxytocin surge 47%.

o Why? Our brains process the plot and characters as if they were in the room with us.

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4. Sing Karaoke

o Belting out show tunes, singing in a choir, or even doing karaoke is an instant oxytocin trigger.

o But only if you're doing it with other people.

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5. Bust a move

o There's nothing quite like partnered dancing to get your oxytocin fix.

o In one experiment, Dr. Zak drew the blood of dancers before and after a night of dancing.

o He found that the oxytocin levels of the dancers rose 11%, regardless of age or gender.

o They also reported feeling closer to others and closer to "something bigger than themselves," even though the evening had nothing to do with religion.

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6. Thrill yourself and others

o Want to feel closer with someone? Take them bungee jumping, rollercoaster riding, or out to experience something new.

"Doing something thrilling is a great way to connect with somebody."

o It's part of the reason why policemen and soldiers have such extraordinarily strong bonds.

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7. Host a walking meeting

o Studies have proven that exercising with a friend makes for a better workout

o Dr. Zak would argue that it makes for a happier one, too.

o He applies the same strategy to the office by taking his lab mates on a hike in the foothills of California every month.

"The moderate stress [of hiking] will make the bonding experience better."

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8. Treat your friend

o When an individual receives something guilt free, levels of oxytocin rise and a perpetual cycle of gifting and strengthening social bonds is developed.

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9. Say words of endearment

o Dr. Zak goes deeper into this theory and mentions that saying the word love increases levels of oxytocin. Words of endearment also can have the same results.

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10. Check Facebook

o Social media is often seen as the end to meaningful interaction, but science sees it differently.

o While studying people's oxytocin levels after using Facebook and Twitter, Dr. Zak saw oxytocin release in every participant in each of his three experiments.

oThough in-person interactions are much richer, there’s room for the Internet.

"We're a connective species: The more interaction, the better."

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