Close Social Relationship Essay

Human social relationships all have one thing in common: the essential ability to form attachments. In order to form these attachments, the human body experiences seemingly miniscule yet significant changes on both a psychological level and a physical level. Two key factors that play into the biological level of close social attachment in humans, and in animals- specifically rats- is the role of the neuropeptides oxytocin (OXT) and arginine vasopressin (AVP). The close attachment one feels when entering a close social relationship is based on the biological neural and chemical components that trigger these feelings we have on a psychological level. Interestingly enough rats experience this phenomenon as well. A large body of evidence shows that the neuropeptides oxytocin and vasopressin play a key factor in mating, pair bonding, and attachment in both rats and humans. My specific hypothesis is that it is expected that strong social pair bonds within humans and rodents require significant increases in both oxytocin and vasopressin within the hypothalamus.
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Moreover, oxytocin is typically known for its role in creating and supporting trust and attachment and affiliative behaviors in a human social relationship (Meyer-Lindenberg, Domes, Kirsch, & Heinrich, 2011; Babygirija et al., 2012). This is why some people call this hormone the “love hormone.” This hormone is produced in the base of the brain, next to the optic chiasm, specifically in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus. It is stored in the posterior pituitary gland, just below the hypothalamus at the base of the brain, attached to the hypothalamus by nerve fibers (Waldherr & Neumann,