Social influence and pain response in women and men

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of social influence on responses to acute pain in women and men in a randomized experimental design. Sixty-eight undergraduates (32 women; 36 men) were randomly assigned to perform a cold pressor task either alone or in the presence of a same-sex...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of behavioral medicine 2008-10, Vol.31 (5), p.413-420
Main Authors: McClelland, Laura E., McCubbin, James A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acute Disease
Adult
Analysis of Variance
Biological and medical sciences
Blood Pressure - physiology
Chronic Disease
Cold Temperature
Family Medicine
Female
Friends - psychology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General Practice
Health Psychology
Heart Rate - physiology
Humans
Life Change Events
Male
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Men
Models, Psychological
Pain
Pain - diagnosis
Pain - psychology
Pain Measurement - statistics & numerical data
Pain Threshold - physiology
Pain Threshold - psychology
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Reinforcement, Social
Sex Factors
Social Environment
Social influence
Social interactions. Communication. Group processes
Social psychology
Social reinforcement
Social Support
Women
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Summary:The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of social influence on responses to acute pain in women and men in a randomized experimental design. Sixty-eight undergraduates (32 women; 36 men) were randomly assigned to perform a cold pressor task either alone or in the presence of a same-sex friend. Expressions of pain were assessed with the short form of the McGill Pain Questionnaire. Overall social support was measured using the Krause social support assessment scale. The presence of a same-sex friend significantly increased pain reports in women, but not in men. Persons who reported high levels of social support on the Krause scale also reported greater cold pressor pain. Results suggest that the presence of a friend can increase pain report to an acute laboratory pain stimulus in women. These findings are consistent with models of social reinforcement in chronic pain syndromes.
ISSN:0160-7715
1573-3521
DOI:10.1007/s10865-008-9163-6