Crockett et al (2010)

Crockett et al (2010)

the effect of serotonin on prosocial behaviour

Aim

to investigate the effect of serotonin on prosocial behaviour

Participants

30 healthy volunteers

Method and design

Experiment; repeated measures design

Procedure 1/2

-In condition 1 participants were given a dose of an SSRI (selective serotonine reuptake inhibitor). -In condition 2 participants were given a placebo

Procedure 2/2

-After taking the drug, participants were given a series of moral dilemmas (the personal or impersonal trolley problem), which made them choose between saving 5 people and letting 1 person be killed

Results

In the impersonal scenario participants’ responses were unaffected by SSRI. In the personal scenario SSRI made participants less likely to interfere (that is, less likely to push the man off the bridge)