Social influence and pain response in women and men

• Published in: Journal of behavioral medicine Vol. 31; no. 5; pp. 413 - 420
• Main Authors: McClelland, Laura E., McCubbin, James A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.10.2008; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• 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; Pain sensitivity; Social influence; Cold pressor; Sex differences; Blood pressure; Pain expression; Social support; Gender role; Human; Healthy subject; Sex role; Sex; Experimental study; Pain; Arterial pressure; Hemodynamics; Provocation test
• ISSN: 0160-7715; 1573-3521
• DOI: 10.1007/s10865-008-9163-6

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.