Effects of public description on the detection and tolerance of laboratory pain

Experimental procedures designed to modify an hypothesized pain detection threshold were arranged to test the notion that to describe a painful experience publicly results in subsequent increased detection of similar pain. First, subjects were pre-tested on their ability to detect and tolerate cold pressor pain. While waiting for a second test, half of the subjects were engaged in conversation by a confederate to whom the subject described his/her impressions of the pre-test. The other half waited in silence for the second test. Results showed that, relative to those who did not describe pain, subjects who publicly described the pain experience had low pain thresholds on the post-test, tolerated the pain less long and reported engaging in a greater number of thoughts indicating that the pain started sooner and was more intense on the post-test. Possible mechanisms to explain this effect are discussed, clinical implications are presented and directions for future research on the same process are outlined.