Journal
PAIN
Volume 131, Issue 1-2, Pages 191-201Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
DOI: 10.1016/j.pain.2007.04.012
Keywords
pain; emotion; self perception; gender; heat; pain tolerance; role-play
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Pain is an experience including physiological and psychological factors. We assume that emotions may be elicited and increased through self-perceived role identity and that change of role identity alters quality and intensity of pain perception. We used role-play strategies to assess whether pain can be better tolerated whenever, in an unavoidable and unpleasant context, role identity confers pain a meaningful and thus suitable character. We induced antithetic roles in 21 actors who received heat stimuli on their arms before and after role-play conditions. Pain tolerance, skin conductance and voice signals were measured. Pain tolerance increased for heroes/heroines and decreased for,faint-hearts. Men showed higher pain tolerance. Heroes/heroines evaluated heat stimuli as more intense. Faint-hearts found pain stimuli more affectively loaded at lower temperatures. Women showed higher pain ratings. Hence, self-perception influences pain perception. Role-play strategies may be of value for new pain management strategies. (C) 2007 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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