“…Accordingly, because OT affects the cortico-amygdala fear/threat circuitry, it should also be expected to influence social and non-social avoidance behaviors (Petrovic et al, 2008;Condes-Lara et al, 1994;Dębiec, 2005;Gozzi et al, 2010;Huber et al, 2005;Kirsch et al, 2005;Knobloch et al, 2012;Lahoud and Maroun, 2013;Lee et al, 2007;Viviani et al, 2011). Through the influence on these distinct yet inter-connected brain systems (Cain and LeDoux, 2008;Schlund and Cataldo, 2010;Lane et al, 1997;Schlund et al, 2011;Rutherford and Lindell, 2011;Wrase et al, 2007), we theorize that OT influences approach and avoidance motivation and behavior. In the present paper, we thus question whether the theorized approach -avoidance function(s) of OT are indeed circumscribed to social contexts and processes specifically per extant theories of OT.…”