Researchers have identified that military personnel experience increased levels of stress and moral challenges during deployment compared to civilian life. These factors are known to negatively impact soldiers' decision-making processes in many aspects of their lives, including intimate relational contexts. In particular, studies suggest that soldiers who have been exposed to combat may be more likely to engage in risky behaviors such as infidelity and aggression in interpersonal interactions.
The exact mechanisms underlying these effects remain poorly understood. This study investigates how exposure to repeated stress and moral challenges affects soldiers' decision-making in intimate relational contexts, using behavioral and neuroimaging techniques. Specifically, the research examines the role of oxytocin, a hormone associated with social bonding and attachment, in mediating the effects of chronic stress on decision-making related to intimate relationships. The findings could inform interventions aimed at improving soldier readiness and resilience in the face of conflict-related stressors.
The purpose of this research is to examine whether repeated exposure to stressful and morally ambiguous situations can alter soldiers' decision-making processes in intimate relational contexts, particularly regarding sexual desires and emotional attachments. To do so, we collected blood samples from a group of active-duty US Army soldiers (n 50) prior to and following deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan. We also administered questionnaires assessing participants' levels of combat exposure, mental health symptoms, and relationship quality. Next, we used a behavioral task involving a simulated dilemma between two hypothetical lovers to investigate how decisions about emotional versus sexual satisfaction were influenced by combat exposure and plasma oxytocin concentrations.
We conducted functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans during the task to identify neural correlates of decision-making processes.
Our results revealed that soldiers who had been exposed to more combat exhibited greater difficulty in making decisions about which partner to choose based on emotional factors compared to those with less exposure. Moreover, higher baseline oxytocin levels predicted better decision-making performance for men but not women. These findings suggest that oxytocin may play an important role in mediating the effects of stress on soldiers' decision-making in intimate relationships. Specifically, increased levels of oxytocin may be necessary to facilitate emotionally-driven decision-making under conditions of chronic stress. The findings have important implications for understanding how military personnel can maintain healthy intimate relationships despite challenges posed by repeated deployments to conflict zones.
How does exposure to repeated stress and moral challenges affect soldiers' decision-making in intimate relational contexts?
The question of how exposure to repeated stress and moral challenges can impact a soldier's decision-making in an intimate relationship is complex and multifaceted. Soldiers who are exposed to frequent and intense forms of stress may experience changes in their cognitive functioning, leading them to process information differently and make decisions that they would not typically make under normal circumstances.