Which consequence is associated with oxytocin reducing stress and increasing sociability?

• A. It promotes bonding through imprinting pleasure with infant contact
• B. It directly increases the risk of breast infection
• C. It elevates fetal heart rate
• D. It causes fatigue in the mother

Answer: (A)

Oxytocin’s role here is to promote social bonding and reduce stress, especially in interactions with a baby. When oxytocin is released during infant contact and bonding, it dampens the stress response and increases feelings of trust and pleasure in social closeness. That creates a rewarding experience around touching and caring for the infant, which strengthens mother–infant bonding. The other potential effects listed don’t fit this pattern: oxytocin isn’t known for increasing breast infection risk, elevating fetal heart rate, or causing fatigue in the mother. The calming, bonding effect is the hallmark of oxytocin’s influence in this context.