The Fact
In a controlled human experiment involving 22 women, researchers measured oxytocin before and after two kinds of social conversation. Oxytocin increased significantly after the women engaged in gossip—a socially bonding form of conversation—while the comparison emotional conversation did not produce the same oxytocin increase.
What This Means
Talking with another woman can be a biological event, not just conversation. In this experiment, socially bonding talk increased measurable oxytocin in women. Oxytocin participates in social bonding and stress regulation, giving a physiological basis for why talking with a friend can feel regulating and connecting.
Sources
- Brondino N, Fusar-Poli L, Politi P. (2017). Something to talk about: Gossip increases oxytocin levels in a near real-life situation. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 77:218–224. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.12.014.