The Meaning Influences The Pain We Perceived

It is widely acknowledged that both physiological and psychological factors determine the pain experience. As sensory and emotional experiences in general are strongly influenced by the meaning the subject attaches to the eliciting stimulus, so meaning also influences the experience of pain. To investigated the influences of the meaning on pain perception, a2(Stimuli Type:pain VS non-pain) x2(Feedback Type: right VS wrong) within group design was used. There were4conditions:pain means right (pr, pain incongruent condition), pain means wrong (pw, pain congruent condition), non-pain means right (npr), non-pain means wrong (npw).Experiment1is a behavioral study.Subjects:36Southwestern University School students. Method:2(Stimuli Type:pain VS non-pain)×2(Feedback Type:right VS wrong) within group design. Independent variable:two kinds of stimuli and two kinds of feedback. Dependent variable:pain intensity judgment and pain unpleasant judgment. Results:ANOVA of pain intensity showed a significant main effect of Stimuli Type [F(1,35)=85.30, p<0.001]. The main effect of Feedback Type [F(1,35)=0.162, p=0.69] was not significant. The interaction between Stimuli Type and Feedback Type [F(1,35)=0.124, p=0.727] was not significant too. For pain unpleasantness, there was a significant main effect of Stimuli Type [F(1,35)=32.84, p<0.01]. The main effect of Feedback Type [F(1,35)=7.08, p<0.05] was significant too. There was no significant interaction between Stimuli Type and Feedback Type [F(1,35)=0.662, p=0.72721]. These suggest that the meaning influences the pain we perceived, subjects felt less unpleasant if pain has a positive meaning. And there is a congruency effect exist between pain and its meaning.Experiment2is an ERP study. Subjects:15Southwestern University School students. Method:2(Stimuli Type:pain VS non-pain)×2(Feedback Type:right VS wrong) within group design. Independent variable:two kinds of stimuli and two kinds of feedback. Dependent variable:the magnitude of ERPs. Results:ANOVA of N2showed a significant main effect of Feedback Type [F(1,14)=8.39, p<0.05]. The main effect of Stimuli Type [F(1,13)=0.027, p=0.872] was not significant. The interaction between Stimuli Type and Feedback Type [F(1,14)=1.31, p=0.273] was not significant too. ANOVA of P2showed a significant main effect of Stimuli Type [F(1,14)=16.617, p<0.01]. The main effect of Feedback Type [F(1,14)=11.92, p<0.01] was significant too. There was a significant interaction between Stimuli Type and Feedback Type [F(1,14)=6.156, p<0.05]. These suggest that the meaning influences the pain we perceived. When pain has a positive meaning, it elicited larger P2amplitudes.Finally, the study can draw the following conclusions:the meaning influences the pain we perceived, subjects felt less unpleasant if pain has a positive meaning. And there is a congruency effect exist between pain and its meaning. When pain has a positive meaning, it elicited larger P2amplitudes...