perception of pain

• What is the purpose of the pain experience?

  To serve as a warning signal
• What are the cognitive dimensions of pain perception?

  Learning to avoid or reduce pain
• What type of pain is sensed by nociceptors?

  Nociceptive pain
• What is inflammatory pain caused by?

  Damage to tissues or inflammation
• What is neuropathic pain?

  Damage to the nervous system
• What is the function of pain sensation?

  To avoid damage to the skin
• How are pain signals transmitted to the brain?

  Through the spinothalamic pathway
• What does the pain matrix refer to?

  Cortical and subcortical areas activated by nociceptors
• What aspects of pain does the pain matrix account for?

  Sensory and affective aspects of pain
• What is subjective pain?

  Personal experience of pain perception
• How does attention affect pain perception?

  Distraction can increase pain tolerance
• What did McCaul & Haugtevdt (1982) find about attention and pain?

  Distraction increased pain tolerance significantly
• How does emotional state influence pain perception?

  Pain tolerance is highest with pleasant images
• What did Roy et al. (2008) study regarding music and pain?

  Music affects pain intensity ratings
• What is hypnosis in the context of pain perception?

  A trance-like state with heightened focus
• What did Elkins et al. (2007) find about hypnotherapy?

  It significantly decreases chronic pain
• What did Singer et al. (2004) find about empathy and pain?

  Observing pain activates emotional brain areas
• What did Freeman et al. (2000) study regarding hypnosis and pain?

  Hypnosis can alter pain perception
• What is the placebo effect?

  Beneficial response to a non-active treatment
• What factors affect the placebo effect?

  Type of pill, color, and administration
• How does expectancy influence the placebo effect?

  Higher expectancy leads to lower pain ratings
• What did Kaptchuk et al. (2014) find about placebos?

  Placebos can reduce pain even when labeled
• What is the nocebo effect?

  Negative side effect from a non-active treatment
• What did Elsenbruch et al. (2012) find about nocebo effects?

  Expectations can increase pain intensity ratings
• What ethical issues arise from using placebos?

  Deception and informed consent concerns
• What are the key terms related to sex/gender differences in pain perception?

  Pain threshold, tolerance, intensity, unpleasantness
• How do females compare to males in pain tolerance?

  Females have lower tolerance for pressure and thermal pain
• What factors contribute to sex/gender differences in pain perception?

  Biological, psychological, and social factors
• What did Fillingim et al. (2009) find about clinical pain differences?

  Females experience more clinical pain than males