Salon.com > Hormones

Oxytocin: Cupid’s arrow

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 17:47:00 +0000

If cupid had studied neuroscience, he’d know to aim his arrows at the brain rather than the heart. Recent research suggests that for love to last, it’s best he dip those arrows in oxytocin. Although scientists have long known that this hormone is essential for monogamous rodents to stay true to their mates, and that it makes humans more trusting toward one another, they are now finding that it is also crucial to how we form and maintain romantic relationships.

A handful of new studies show that oxytocin makes us more sympathetic, supportive and open with our feelings—all necessary for couples to celebrate not just one Valentine’s Day, but many. These findings have led some researchers to investigate whether oxytocin can be used in couple therapy.

CNN removes story about women’s hormones affecting voting

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 16:27:00 +0000

Following widespread ridicule, CNN has removed a story published online Wednesday about whether hormones could influence female voting choices.

The piece by Elizabeth Landau looked at unpublished research that suggested female voting behavior was affected by whether a woman was ovulating on Election Day, or as our own Jillian Rayfield put it Wednesday, whether "their lady parts might be doing the voting for them." As Poynter noted Thursday, CNN has taken down the post and put up a notice stating that "after further review it was determined that some elements of the story did not meet the editorial standards of CNN."

Poynter notes that CNN has not elaborated on which precise elements in Landau's post fell short of its standards.