Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Evolutionary Psychology01:20

Evolutionary Psychology

274
Evolutionary psychology explores the origins of human behavior and mental processes by framing them within the context of natural selection, a theory famously propounded by Charles Darwin. This field asserts that many behaviors common across human societies — ranging from instinctive fear reactions to complex social interactions — arose as evolutionary adaptations. These adaptations enhanced the survival and reproductive success of our ancestors, thereby becoming embedded in the...
274
Behaviorism01:28

Behaviorism

2.3K
The field of behaviorism was pioneered by figures such as Ivan Pavlov, John B. Watson, and B.F. Skinner fundamentally shifted the focus of psychology to the observable and controllable aspects of human and animal behavior. This shift marked a critical evolution in the discipline, emphasizing scientific rigor and experimental methodology.
The core premise of behaviorism is its focus on observable behavior rather than internal thoughts or feelings. This approach argues that true scientific...
2.3K
What is Behavior?00:54

What is Behavior?

9.0K
Behaviors are actions that an organism engages in—they can be related to finding food, reproducing, defending against threats, and many other possible actions. Behaviors include activities related to the environment around the animal—such as migration—as well as social interactions within a species or population. Many behaviors involve motor output—that is, muscle movements—while others involve less visible actions, such as learning.
9.0K
Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective01:23

Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective

105
In a study where individuals posing as strangers offered compliments and proposed casual sex to students, the responses differed significantly based on gender. Not a single woman accepted the proposal, while 70% of the men agreed. This outcome provides a useful scenario to explore through the lens of evolutionary psychology and social learning theory, highlighting the diverse perspectives on human sexual behaviors.
Evolutionary psychology provides one explanation for these findings, suggesting...
105
Facial Feedback Hypothesis01:24

Facial Feedback Hypothesis

165
Charles Darwin proposed that facial expressions are an evolutionary adaptation for communication. He argued that these expressions are not influenced by culture but are universal across species. For example, a snarling expression with exposed teeth signals a threat in many animals, including humans. Darwin also suggested that displaying an emotion can intensify the feeling. Smiling, for example, could enhance one's sense of happiness. This idea laid the foundation for understanding the role...
165
Instinctive Drift01:05

Instinctive Drift

228
Instinctive drift refers to the tendency of animals to revert to their innate behaviors despite repeated reinforcement. Breland and Breland demonstrated this concept in an experiment with a raccoon. The raccoon was trained to pick up two coins and place them in a container in exchange for food. Initially, the raccoon learned to associate the coins with food, making them a conditioned stimulus or a substitute for food. However, over time, the raccoon became less willing to put the coins into the...
228

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Developing the evidence and associated service models to improve pain management in older people living with frailty: a synopsis of the POPPY mixed method, co-design study.

Health and social care delivery research·2026
Same author

Experience of opioid cessation after surgery in opioid-naïve patients in the United Kingdom: A qualitative study.

British journal of pain·2026
Same author

Qualitative investigation of the experiences of older people living with persistent pain and frailty and their decision to seek support: findings from the POPPY-Q study.

BMJ open·2025
Same author

Outcomes of a veteran-specific pain management programme by remote technology-based delivery: An observational study.

British journal of pain·2025
Same author

The psychology of pain: Frank Keefe as Editor-in-Chief of PAIN 2013-2022.

Pain·2025
Same author

Pain experience of people with inflammatory bowel disease: a qualitative study.

BMJ open gastroenterology·2025
Same journal

Built environment is a key driver of cardiometabolic health in two Indigenous groups undergoing rapid lifestyle change.

Evolution, medicine, and public health·2026
Same journal

Adaptive therapy and its challenges.

Evolution, medicine, and public health·2026
Same journal

Competitive suppression and release in artemisinin-resistant <i>Plasmodium falciparum</i> field isolates.

Evolution, medicine, and public health·2026
Same journal

An evolutionary medicine perspective on the design of non-hormonal contraceptives for women.

Evolution, medicine, and public health·2026
Same journal

Daughters-in-law and mothers-in-law in lowland rural Nepal: The balance of power and health outcomes.

Evolution, medicine, and public health·2026
Same journal

Cancer, collapse, and the politics of somatic evolution.

Evolution, medicine, and public health·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 9, 2025

A Proboscis Extension Response Protocol for Investigating Behavioral Plasticity in Insects: Application to Basic, Biomedical, and Agricultural Research
10:31

A Proboscis Extension Response Protocol for Investigating Behavioral Plasticity in Insects: Application to Basic, Biomedical, and Agricultural Research

Published on: September 8, 2014

35.3K

Pain: Behavioural expression and response in an evolutionary framework.

Amanda C de C Williams1

  • 1Research Department of Clinical, Educational & Health Psychology, University College London, Gower St, London WC1E 6BT, UK.

Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health
|November 29, 2023
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Pain behaviors, adaptive for healing, become disabling when persistent in chronic pain. Understanding these evolutionary responses can improve patient care and reduce stigma associated with chronic pain.

Keywords:
behaviourempathyevolutionaryfacial expressionpainresponse

More Related Videos

Boldness, Aggression, and Shoaling Assays for Zebrafish Behavioral Syndromes
08:43

Boldness, Aggression, and Shoaling Assays for Zebrafish Behavioral Syndromes

Published on: August 29, 2016

10.3K
Pavlovian Conditioned Approach Training in Rats
06:57

Pavlovian Conditioned Approach Training in Rats

Published on: February 4, 2016

11.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 9, 2025

A Proboscis Extension Response Protocol for Investigating Behavioral Plasticity in Insects: Application to Basic, Biomedical, and Agricultural Research
10:31

A Proboscis Extension Response Protocol for Investigating Behavioral Plasticity in Insects: Application to Basic, Biomedical, and Agricultural Research

Published on: September 8, 2014

35.3K
Boldness, Aggression, and Shoaling Assays for Zebrafish Behavioral Syndromes
08:43

Boldness, Aggression, and Shoaling Assays for Zebrafish Behavioral Syndromes

Published on: August 29, 2016

10.3K
Pavlovian Conditioned Approach Training in Rats
06:57

Pavlovian Conditioned Approach Training in Rats

Published on: February 4, 2016

11.0K

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Neuroscience
  • Public health

Background:

  • Chronic pain is a significant public health issue.
  • Pain behaviors are evolutionary responses that promote healing and survival.
  • These behaviors can become maladaptive and disabling when they persist beyond tissue healing.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the evolutionary underpinnings of pain behaviors.
  • To understand how these behaviors contribute to chronic pain and disability.
  • To examine the social modulation of pain and the phenomenon of disbelief and stigmatization in chronic pain patients.

Main Methods:

  • Review of evolutionary theory and pain research.
  • Analysis of mammalian pain expression and social signaling.
  • Examination of psychological and social factors influencing pain perception and response.

Main Results:

  • Pain behaviors, initially protective, can perpetuate chronic pain and disability.
  • Social context and observer responses significantly modulate pain perception.
  • Disbelief and stigmatization of chronic pain sufferers may stem from evolutionary 'cheater detection' mechanisms.

Conclusions:

  • An evolutionary perspective is crucial for understanding chronic pain.
  • Addressing the disabling nature of persistent pain behaviors requires understanding their adaptive origins.
  • Recognizing the social and evolutionary dynamics of pain can improve clinical encounters and reduce patient stigma.