The effects of experimental pain and induced optimism on working memory task performance

Area of Science:

• Cognitive psychology
• Neuroscience
• Pain research

Background:

• Pain significantly impairs executive functions, including working memory.
• Previous research suggested optimism may mitigate pain's negative effects on cognitive tasks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the protective role of experimentally induced optimism against pain-induced working memory impairments.
• To examine if optimism influences working memory performance during or after pain induction using the 2-back task.

Main Methods:

• Two experiments were conducted. Study 1 used a cold pressor task (CPT) and the 2-back task. Study 2 used heat stimulation and the 2-back task, with pain occurring concurrently with the task.
• Optimism was induced using the Best Possible Self (BPS) manipulation, with a typical day writing task as a control.
• Working memory was assessed using the 2-back task, measuring the ability to monitor and update information.

Main Results:

• Cold pressor pain did not affect subsequent working memory performance in Study 1.
• Heat pain significantly impaired concurrent working memory performance in Study 2.
• Optimism induction did not significantly counteract the negative effects of pain on working memory performance.

Conclusions:

• Experimentally induced pain impairs working memory performance when experienced concurrently.
• Optimism, as manipulated in these studies, did not demonstrate a protective effect against pain-induced working memory deficits.
• Further research is needed to understand the conditions under which optimism may buffer pain's cognitive impact.