Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Originally published in Science Express on 5 June 2008
Science 27 June 2008:
Vol. 320. no. 5884, p. 1739
DOI: 10.1126/science.1155577
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Brevia

Serotonin Modulates Behavioral Reactions to Unfairness

Molly J. Crockett,1,2* Luke Clark,1,2 Golnaz Tabibnia,3 Matthew D. Lieberman,3 Trevor W. Robbins1,2

Serotonin (5-HT) has long been implicated in social behavior and impulsivity, but the mechanisms through which it modulates self-control remain unclear. We observed the effects of manipulating 5-HT function on behavior in the ultimatum game, where players must decide whether to accept or reject fair or unfair monetary offers from another player. Participants with depleted 5-HT levels rejected a greater proportion of unfair offers, but not fair offers, without showing changes in mood, fairness judgment, basic reward processing, or response inhibition. Our results suggest that 5-HT plays a critical role in regulating emotion during social decision-making.

1 Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK.
2 Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK.
3 Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: mc536{at}cam.ac.uk

Read the Full Text


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Politics and an Innate Moral Sense: Scientific Evidence for an Old Theory?.
K. Renwick Monroe, A. Martin, and P. Ghosh (2009)
Political Research Quarterly 62, 614-634
   Abstract »    PDF »
Genetic contributions of the serotonin transporter to social learning of fear and economic decision making.
L. G. Crisan, S. Pana, R. Vulturar, R. M. Heilman, R. Szekely, B. Druga, N. Dragos, and A. C. Miu (2009)
Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Less Serotonin? It's Unfair!.
(2008)
Journal Watch Psychiatry 2008, 3
   Full Text »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)