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Cited by 91Psychological Well-being and Life SatisfactionDeath Anxiety and Social ExclusionPain Mechanisms and Treatments

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 356 of the 356 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

The Positive Consequences of Pain: A Biopsychosocial Approach

Bastian, Brock, Jetten, Jolanda, Hornsey, Matthew J., Leknes, Siri·2014·Personality and Social Psychology Review
DOI 10.1177/1088868314527831
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Abstract

Pain is mostly thought of as a problem—as debilitating or harmful. Despite its unpleasantness, however, under some conditions pain can be associated with positive consequences. In this review, we explore these positive biological, psychological, and social consequences of pain. We highlight three different domains in which pain may be considered to have positive consequences. First, pain facilitates pleasure by providing an important contrast for pleasurable experiences, increasing sensitivity to sensory input, and facilitating self-rewarding behavior. Second, pain augments self-regulation and enhancement by increasing cognitive control, reducing rumination, and demonstrating virtue. Third, pain promotes affiliation by arousing empathy from others, motivating social connection, and enhancing group formation. Drawing on evidence scattered across a range of academic fields, we provide for reflection on how pain is represented, generate insights into pain-seeking behavior, and draw attention to the role of painful experiences in maximizing positive outcomes.

Overview

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Crossref · 10.1177/1088868314527831

Cites

356 of 356 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Citations

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1 retracted

Show all 354 references

Research works printed but not linked: 16

  1. 10.1037/0022-3514.74.5.1252 · DOI · Paper page
  2. 10.1037/0033-2909.117.3.497 · DOI · Paper page
  3. Bowlby J., 1973, Attachment and loss: Separation, anxiety and anger
  4. Bowlby J., 1982, Attachment and loss: Attachment
  5. Fischer A. H., 2008, Handbook of emotions, 325
  6. Grapentine T., 2004, Marketing Research, 16, 4
  7. Gray J. A., 2000, The neuropsychology of anxiety: An enquiry into the functions of the septohippocampal system
  8. 10.1037/0022-3514.74.1.224 · DOI · Paper page
  9. Guidi M. E. L., 1994, Paper presented at the Fourth Conference of the International Society for Utilitarian Studies
  10. Hayes S. C., 1999, Acceptance and commitment therapy: Understanding and treating human suffering
  11. Leknes S., 2010, Pleasures of the brain: The neural basis of sensory rewards, 320
  12. Nietzsche F., 1974, The gay science
  13. Pecina S., 1995, Neurobiology, 3, 269
  14. Sartre J.-P., 1949, Nausea
  15. Singer P., 1979, Practical ethics
  16. 10.1176/ajp.2007.164.2.350a · DOI

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Metadata

Authors
Bastian, B., Jetten, J., Hornsey, M. J., & Leknes, S.
Affiliations
  • UNSW Sydney (AU)
  • The University of Queensland (AU)
  • University of Oslo (NO)
ORCID
Venue
Personality and Social Psychology Review
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2014-04-12
Volume
18
Issue
3
Pages
256-279
ISSN
  • 1088-8683 (ISSN-L)
  • 1532-7957
DOI
10.1177/1088868314527831
OpenAlex
W2123676445
Cited by
91
References
354
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 2
FWCI
17.80
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
  • Personality and Social Psychology Review (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology (medical) › Pain Mechanisms and Treatments
Keywords
pain, pleasure, contrast effects, self-regulation, cognitive control, rumination, virtue, empathy, social affiliation, group formation

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