Pain sensation during exposure to noxious stimuli: The effects of preparatory information and coping

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between preparatory information about pain stimuli and differences in cold pressor pain sensation, as well as to clarify the interaction between preparatory information and characteristics of individual participants. Seventy-two participants were divided into two groups, according to the type of preparatory information provided. In one group, participants were provided with information about the pain sensation that they were going to receive. In the other group, participants were provided with information about the overall experimental procedure. The results indicated that the two groups of participants experienced different pain sensations. Also, there was a significant correlation between coping and preparatory information, suggesting that different people experience sensory information differently.