--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: there are studies showing that one…" description: "\"“there are studies showing that one oxytocin receptor gene variant is associated with extreme aggression in kids, as well as a callous, unemotional sty..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03a/robert-m-sapolsky-1166_hormone_there-are-studies-showing-that-one-oxyto_1709065.png" --- # there are studies showing that one oxytocin receptor gene… ![“there are studies showing that one oxytocin receptor gene variant is associated with extreme aggression in kids, as well as a callous, unemotional style that foreshadows adult psychopathy.54 Moreover, another variant is associated with social disconnection in kids and unstable adult relationships…” quote by Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03a/robert-m-sapolsky-1166_hormone_there-are-studies-showing-that-one-oxyto_1709065.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03a/robert-m-sapolsky-1166_hormone_there-are-studies-showing-that-one-oxyto_1709065.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03a/robert-m-sapolsky-1166_hormone_there-are-studies-showing-that-one-oxyto_1709065.png) > ““there are studies showing that one oxytocin receptor gene variant is associated with extreme aggression in kids, as well as a callous, unemotional style that foreshadows adult psychopathy.54 Moreover, another variant is associated with social disconnection in kids and unstable adult relationships. But unfortunately these findings are uninterpretable because no one knows if these variants produce more, less, or the usual amount of oxytocin signaling.”” [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Genetic variations in oxytocin receptors link to aggression and social disconnection, but their functional impact remains unclear. **In simple terms:** Oxytocin gene differences may affect behavior, yet we lack clear evidence. Key Takeaway Recognize genetic influence but seek more research. Themes genetics behavior neuroscience Mood cautious inquisitive Type scientific analytical When to use this quote - childhood aggression - relationship counseling - mental health research Key Concepts oxytocin signaling psychopathy social bonds Questions to Reflect On - What further research could clarify these gene effects? - How should clinicians treat patients with these variants? A Different Perspective Genetic findings are inconclusive without functional studies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hormone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hormone/) [Oxytocin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oxytocin/) [Oxytocin Receptor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oxytocin-receptor-1227747/) [Oxytocin Signaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oxytocin-signaling-1227746/) [Usual Oxytocin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/usual-oxytocin-1227748/) [Variant Associated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/variant-associated-1227749/) ## Related quotes > [“One stretch of the gene is repeated a variable number of times, and the version with seven repeats (the “7R” form) produces a receptor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/one-stretch-of-the-gene-is-repeated-a-variable-number-of-times-and/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [Oxytocin is lauded for how it promotes warmth, generosity, social bonding, cooperation, trust, and compassion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/oxytocin-is-lauded-for-how-it-promotes-warmth-generosity-social/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [Give lab rats oxytocin and, according to that meme, they get better at talking about their feelings and sing like Joan Baez.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/give-lab-rats-oxytocin-and-according-to-that-meme-they-get-better-at/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“Oxytocin, the luv hormone, makes us more prosocial to Us and worse to everyone else. That’s not generic prosociality. That’s ethnocentrism and xenophobia. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/oxytocin-the-luv-hormone-makes-us-more-prosocial-to-us-and-worse-to/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“women with variants of genes that produce higher levels of oxytocin or oxytocin receptors average higher levels of touching their infants and more synchronized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/women-with-variants-of-genes-that-produce-higher-levels-of-oxytocin/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“So oxytocin is central to female mammals nursing, wanting to nurse their child, and remembering which one is their child.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/so-oxytocin-is-central-to-female-mammals-nursing-wanting-to-nurse/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“Obviously, oxytocin and vasopressin are the grooviest hormones in the universe. Pour them into the water supply, and people will be more charitable, trusting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/obviously-oxytocin-and-vasopressin-are-the-grooviest-hormones-in-the/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [Naturally, things are more complicated - those groovy, pro-social effects of oxytocin apply to how we interact with in-group members.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/naturally-things-are-more-complicated-those-groovy-pro-social-effects/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“Infuse oxytocin into the brain of a virgin rat, and she’ll act maternally—retrieving, grooming, and licking pups. Block the actions of oxytocin in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/infuse-oxytocin-into-the-brain-of-a-virgin-rat-and-she-ll-act-2/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“Thus, oxytocin and vasopressin facilitate bonding between parent and child and between couples.fn10 Now for something truly charming that evolution has cooked up recently.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/thus-oxytocin-and-vasopressin-facilitate-bonding-between-parent-and/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“For starters, circulating oxytocin levels are elevated in couples when they’ve first hooked up. Furthermore, the higher the levels, the more physical affection, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/for-starters-circulating-oxytocin-levels-are-elevated-in-couples-when/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“Infuse oxytocin into the brain of a virgin rat, and she’ll act maternally—retrieving, grooming, and licking pups. Block the actions of oxytocin in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/infuse-oxytocin-into-the-brain-of-a-virgin-rat-and-she-ll-act/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [Oxytocin is a Teflon hormone - bad news rolls off it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/oxytocin-is-a-teflon-hormone-bad-news-rolls-off-it/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [To out-group-members, oxytocin makes you crappier - less cooperative and more preemptively aggressive. It's not the luv hormone. It's the in-group parochialism/xenophobia hormone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/to-out-group-members-oxytocin-makes-you-crappier-less-cooperative-and/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“Human sexual and social behavior shares some similaries with that of rodents, but has some important differences as well. It shows much greater variability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-linden/human-sexual-and-social-behavior-shares-some-similaries-with-that-of/) [David J. Linden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-linden/) ## More by Robert M. Sapolsky > [“Secure-attachment 7Rs show more generosity than average. Thus 7R has something to do with generosity—but its effect is entirely context dependent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/secure-attachment-7rs-show-more-generosity-than-average-thus-7r-has/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [But if you get chronically, psychosocially stressed, you're going to compromise your health. So, essentially, we've evolved to be smart enough to make ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/but-if-you-get-chronically-psychosocially-stressed-you-re-going-to/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“Finally, for the same criminal conviction, the more stereotypically Af-rican a black individual’s facial features, the longer the sentence.15 In contrast, juries view black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/finally-for-the-same-criminal-conviction-the-more-stereotypically-af/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“So testosterone does subtle things to behavior. Nonetheless, this doesn’t tell us much because everything can be interpreted every which way. Testosterone increases anxiety—you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/so-testosterone-does-subtle-things-to-behavior-nonetheless-this-doesn/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“pain makes aggressive people more aggressive, while doing the opposite to unaggressive individuals.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/pain-makes-aggressive-people-more-aggressive-while-doing-the-opposite/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“Thus, for our purposes, genes aren’t about inevitability. Instead they’re about context-dependent tendencies, propensities, potentials, and vulnerabilities. All embedded in the fabric of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/thus-for-our-purposes-genes-aren-t-about-inevitability-instead-they/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“If we accept that there will always be sides, it’s a nontrivial to-do list item to always be on the side of angels. Distrust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/if-we-accept-that-there-will-always-be-sides-it-s-a-nontrivial-to-do/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“In other words, the more genomically complex the organism, the larger the percentage of the genome devoted to gene regulation by the environment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/in-other-words-the-more-genomically-complex-the-organism-the-larger/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“The subject of one experiment is a rat that receives mild electric shocks (roughly equivalent to the static shock you might get from scuffing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/the-subject-of-one-experiment-is-a-rat-that-receives-mild-electric/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“No brain region is an island, and the formation of circuits connecting far-flung brain regions is crucial—how else can the frontal cortex use its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/no-brain-region-is-an-island-and-the-formation-of-circuits-connecting/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“We process emotionally salient information more rapidly and automatically, but with less accuracy. Frontal function—working memory, impulse control, executive decision making, risk assessment, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/we-process-emotionally-salient-information-more-rapidly-and/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“Most broadly, the PFC chooses between conflicting options—Coke or Pepsi; blurting out what you really think or restraining yourself; pulling the trigger or not.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/most-broadly-the-pfc-chooses-between-conflicting-options-coke-or/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“One stretch of the gene is repeated a variable number of times, and the version with seven repeats (the “7R” form) produces a receptor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/one-stretch-of-the-gene-is-repeated-a-variable-number-of-times-and/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“some people always get more than their share of equality than others”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/some-people-always-get-more-than-their-share-of-equality-than-others/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [It's probably even the case that if you stoked up some Buddhist monks with tons of testosterone, they'd become wildly competitive as to who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/it-s-probably-even-the-case-that-if-you-stoked-up-some-buddhist-monks/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) [Explore all 280 Robert M. Sapolsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) ## More Hormone quotes > [“oxytocin is the “god hormone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/oxytocin-is-the-god-hormone/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [Hormone blockers changed and saved my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazz-jennings/hormone-blockers-changed-and-saved-my-life/) [Jazz Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazz-jennings/) > [If you hug someone for seven seconds, it gives you a chemical drop in your brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-dohrn/if-you-hug-someone-for-seven-seconds-it-gives-you-a-chemical-drop-in/) [Walt Dohrn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-dohrn/) > [There was something about Ash that made every hormone in her body stand up and pant for more](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/there-was-something-about-ash-that-made-every-hormone-in-her-body/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“Kung healing elements ang endorphin, serotonin at dopamine, lason naman sa ating katawan ang toxic emotions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerardo-v-cabochan/kung-healing-elements-ang-endorphin-serotonin-at-dopamine-lason-naman/) [Gerardo V. Cabochan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerardo-v-cabochan/) > [“love: a chemical history. ...The second stage, attraction, is governed by dopamine and serotonin. When, for example, couples report feeling indescribably happy in each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-yoon/love-a-chemical-history-the-second-stage-attraction-is-governed-by/) [Nicola Yoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-yoon/) > [“In neuroscience, our textbook showed how the brain scans of people newly in love look a lot like the brain scans of patients with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daria-snadowsky/in-neuroscience-our-textbook-showed-how-the-brain-scans-of-people/) [Daria Snadowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daria-snadowsky/) > [When I was put on the hormone testosterone, it made me gain 40 pounds. I was almost 170, which is very heavy for me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shanna-moakler/when-i-was-put-on-the-hormone-testosterone-it-made-me-gain-40-pounds/) [Shanna Moakler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shanna-moakler/) > [Oxytocin is a Teflon hormone - bad news rolls off it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/oxytocin-is-a-teflon-hormone-bad-news-rolls-off-it/) [Robert M. 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Block the actions of oxytocin in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/infuse-oxytocin-into-the-brain-of-a-virgin-rat-and-she-ll-act/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“Winning the love of a higher-status person is a widespread strategy for stimulating serotonin. Of course, we don’t consciously equate love with status. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/winning-the-love-of-a-higher-status-person-is-a-widespread-strategy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When a male vole repeatedly mates with a female, a hormone called vasopressin is released in his brain. The vasopressin binds to receptors in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eagleman/when-a-male-vole-repeatedly-mates-with-a-female-a-hormone-called/) [David Eagleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eagleman/) > [Q: What's the difference between an enzyme and a hormone? A: You can't hear an enzyme.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/q-what-s-the-difference-between-an-enzyme-and-a-hormone-a-you-can-t/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) [Browse all 70 Hormone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hormone/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“there are studies showing that one oxytocin receptor gene variant is associated with extreme aggression in kids, as well as a callous, unemotional style that foreshadows adult psychopathy.54 Moreover, another variant is associated with social disconnection in kids and unstable adult relationships. But unfortunately these findings are uninterpretable because no one knows if these variants produce more, less, or the usual amount of oxytocin signaling.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert M. 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