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

Language and Cognition01:27

Language and Cognition

Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
Schizophrenia01:17

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia, a term introduced by Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler in 1911, describes a severe psychological disorder marked by profound disruptions in attention, thought processes, language, emotion, and interpersonal relationships. The core feature of schizophrenia is psychosis — a state characterized by a fundamental detachment from reality. This disconnection manifests through distorted logic, impaired perception, and atypical behavior, severely affecting the lives of those diagnosed.
Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia01:30

Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Negative symptoms of schizophrenia indicate a reduction or absence of typical behaviors and emotional responses found in healthy individuals, while positive symptoms reflect an excess or distortion of normal functioning.
Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia manifest as deficits in normal emotional and behavioral functioning, profoundly impacting daily life. Individuals with schizophrenia often display a flat affect, characterized by a near-total absence of emotional expression,...
Autism Spectrum Disorder01:19

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition marked by persistent deficits in social communication and interaction alongside restrictive and repetitive behaviors or interests. ASD is sometimes accompanied by intellectual impairment.
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.
Intellectual Disability01:29

Intellectual Disability

Intellectual disability (ID) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by deficits in intellectual and adaptive functioning that manifest during the developmental period. This condition encompasses challenges in reasoning, memory, problem-solving, and learning, accompanied by impairments in everyday life skills, such as communication, self-care, and social interactions. Intellectual disability affects approximately 1% of the population in the United States, impacting an estimated 5...
Learning Disabilities01:25

Learning Disabilities

Learning disabilities are cognitive disorders caused by neurological impairments that affect cognitive functions like language and reading, without indicating overall intellectual or developmental challenges. These disabilities differ from global intellectual or developmental disabilities as they are limited to distinct cognitive functions. Common learning disabilities include dysgraphia, dyslexia, and dyscalculia, each of which impacts unique aspects of learning.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

What Can We Ask of Hospitals? Conceptual Foundations for an Ethics of Healthcare Organizations.

The American journal of bioethics : AJOB·2026
Same author

Substituted Judgment and Uncomfortable Truths.

The American journal of bioethics : AJOB·2025
Same author

Suffering and Intellectual (Dis)Ability - ERRATUM.

Cambridge quarterly of healthcare ethics : CQ : the international journal of healthcare ethics committees·2025
Same author

Navigating Tensions Between Law and Ethics in Surrogate Decision Making.

The American journal of bioethics : AJOB·2024
Same author

Ethical Complexities in Utilizing Artificial Intelligence for Surrogate Decision Making.

The American journal of bioethics : AJOB·2024
Same author

Is Suffering a Useless Concept?

The American journal of bioethics : AJOB·2024
Same journal

Sentience. Not Necessarily a Problem?

Cambridge quarterly of healthcare ethics : CQ : the international journal of healthcare ethics committees·2026
Same journal

No Need to Feel.

Cambridge quarterly of healthcare ethics : CQ : the international journal of healthcare ethics committees·2026
Same journal

The One Health Paradigm and Wild Animal Welfare Science.

Cambridge quarterly of healthcare ethics : CQ : the international journal of healthcare ethics committees·2026
Same journal

From Mollusks to Machines: An Ethical Framework Focused on the Urgency of Extreme Suffering.

Cambridge quarterly of healthcare ethics : CQ : the international journal of healthcare ethics committees·2026
Same journal

Sentience and Why It Matters.

Cambridge quarterly of healthcare ethics : CQ : the international journal of healthcare ethics committees·2026
Same journal

The Wrong Motives for Potentially Harming a Being.

Cambridge quarterly of healthcare ethics : CQ : the international journal of healthcare ethics committees·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 12, 2026

Using Visual and Narrative Methods to Achieve Fair Process in Clinical Care
14:32

Using Visual and Narrative Methods to Achieve Fair Process in Clinical Care

Published on: February 16, 2011

23.4K

Suffering and Intellectual (Dis)Ability.

Ryan H Nelson1

  • 1University of Minnesota, Center for Bioethics, Minneapolis, MN, USA.

Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics : CQ : the International Journal of Healthcare Ethics Committees
|March 10, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Intellectual ability shapes suffering by influencing meaning-making. Higher intellect can reduce suffering through better interpretation, but also deepen it by broadening negative experiences, making susceptibility unpredictable.

Keywords:
Sufferingdisabilityexperienceintellectual disability

More Related Videos

Measuring the Functional Abilities of Children Aged 3-6 Years Old with Observational Methods and Computer Tools
11:29

Measuring the Functional Abilities of Children Aged 3-6 Years Old with Observational Methods and Computer Tools

Published on: June 20, 2020

9.0K
Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties
12:55

Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties

Published on: September 27, 2020

8.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 12, 2026

Using Visual and Narrative Methods to Achieve Fair Process in Clinical Care
14:32

Using Visual and Narrative Methods to Achieve Fair Process in Clinical Care

Published on: February 16, 2011

23.4K
Measuring the Functional Abilities of Children Aged 3-6 Years Old with Observational Methods and Computer Tools
11:29

Measuring the Functional Abilities of Children Aged 3-6 Years Old with Observational Methods and Computer Tools

Published on: June 20, 2020

9.0K
Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties
12:55

Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties

Published on: September 27, 2020

8.3K

Area of Science:

  • Philosophy of Mind
  • Cognitive Science
  • Psychology

Background:

  • Distinguishing between negative phenomenal experiences and suffering is crucial for understanding mental well-being.
  • The role of cognitive factors, particularly intellectual ability, in modulating the experience of suffering remains an area of inquiry.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the complex relationship between intellectual ability and the phenomenon of suffering.
  • To investigate how meaning-making, influenced by intellectual functioning, mediates the transition from negative experience to suffering.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual analysis and philosophical argumentation.
  • Examination of the dual role of intellectual ability in both mitigating and exacerbating suffering.

Main Results:

  • The capacity to make meaning of negative experiences is a key differentiator between mere negative valence and suffering.
  • Intellectual ability has a dual effect: it can enhance meaning-making to reduce suffering, or broaden the scope of negative experiences, thus increasing suffering.
  • Intellectual functioning alone is insufficient to predict an individual's susceptibility to suffering.

Conclusions:

  • Suffering is not solely determined by the valence of an experience but by the cognitive appraisal and meaning-making processes involved.
  • Intellectual ability is a significant, yet complex, factor influencing the subjective experience and intensity of suffering.
  • A nuanced understanding of cognitive processes is necessary to avoid simplistic assumptions about suffering and resilience.