Social Support and Experimental Pain
Abstract
Objective The purpose of this experimental study was to supplement and expand on clinical research demonstrating that the provision of social support is associated with lower levels of acute pain. Methods Undergraduates (52 men and 49 women) performed the cold pressor task either alone or accompanied by a friend or stranger who provided active support, passive support, or interaction. Pain perception was measured on a 10-point scale. Results Participants in the active support and passive support conditions reported less pain than participants in the alone and interaction conditions, regardless of whether they were paired with a friend or stranger. Conclusions These data suggest that the presence of an individual who provides passive or active support reduces experimental pain.
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Social support reduces pain intensity and unpleasantness and lessens threat during anticipation of pain.
“Importantly, it is well established that social support has anti-nociceptive effects, evident in reduced pain intensity and unpleasantness ratings (Brown, Sheffield, Leary, & Robinson, 2003;Eisenberger et al., 2011;Master et al., 2009;Roberts, Klatzkin, & Mechlin, 2015;Younger, Aron, Parke, Chatterjee, & Mackey, 2010) and threat associated with pain anticipation (Coan, Schaefer, & Davidson, 2006).”
From Oxytocin enhances the pain‐relieving effects of social support in romantic couples (2019) · cites this paper as Brown, Sheffield, Leary, & Robinson, 2003
Social interactions may reduce pain unpleasantness by decreasing the salience of noxious stimuli.
“Accordingly, social interactions may serve as a calm model (Brown et al., 2003) and may reduce the unpleasantness of pain by diminishing the salience of noxious stimuli (Krahe, Springer, Weinman, & Fotopoulou, 2013).”
From Oxytocin enhances the pain‐relieving effects of social support in romantic couples (2019) · cites this paper as Brown et al., 2003
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- Authors
- Brown, J. L., Sheffield, D., Leary, M. R., & Robinson, M. E.
- Affiliations
- University of Florida Health (US)
- University of Staffordshire (GB)
- Venue
- Psychosomatic Medicine
- Published
- 2003-03
- Volume
- 65
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 276-283
- ISSN
- 0033-3174 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2028841195
- Cited by
- 299
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 44 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 24 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 20 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 12
- FWCI
- 3.10
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychosomatic Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (5r01hl064580-04)
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (1R01 HL 64580-01)
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (R01DE013208, 1R01 DE13208-01A2)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Pain Management and Placebo Effect
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Pediatric Pain Management Techniques
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Pain Mechanisms and Treatments
- Keywords
- social support, experimental pain, cold pressor task, active support, passive support, social interaction, pain coping
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Analysis of Variance, Cold Temperature, Female, Humans, Male, Pain, Pain Measurement, Perception, Social Support, Friends
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