AFFECTIVE DISTRACTORS AND PAIN TOLERANCE

Abstract
Psychological mechanisms that may be involved in the pain-inhibiting effects of affective distractors are discussed. Two experiments are summarized that were conducted in our laboratory to determine whether attention per se, or other cognitive processes, including priming and appraisal, mediate the effects of affective distrators upon cold-pressor pain. Parallel studies that examined the role of attention, priming, or emotional arousal in pain tolerance are discussed. The findings support a priming model of pain-modulation, with positive distractors reducing pain, and negative distractors enhancing pain. Even so, the data suggest that attention as a factor might be implicated, given that the distracter is not related to the pain stimulus, and/or evokes high levels of emotional arousal. It is proposed that the pain-inhibiting effects of affective distractors may result from the complementary contribution of psychological mechanisms.

Key words
Attention, distraction, affective pictures, cold-pressor test, pain tolerance, emotion.

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