Subject versus experimenter control in the reaction to pain

&NA; Although perceived control has been used as a means of reducing the reaction to pain, conceptually, much is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of control as a mediating variable in the reaction to pain as a function of the predispositional variables of perceived self‐efficacy and trait anxiety. Self‐efficacy refers to the subject's premeasured, perceived ability to control his pain. The type of control provided either to the subject or the experimenter was varied over 5 independent groups. Predictability of occurrence of the pain stimulation was varied on a within‐subject basis. Results mirrored the complexity of the problem. Overall, when subjects were given decisional control alone the largest reactions to pain were obtained. Subjects given decisional plus behavioral control yielded the lowest reactions to pain. Both self‐efficacy and trait anxiety significantly were pedictive of outcomes. Unexpectedly, experimenter control reduced the reaction to pain among those with high self‐efficacy, but increased the reaction among those with low self‐efficacy. Results of trait anxiety appear to indicate the need to keep anxiety within bounds. Adding responsibility such as control to an individual who is already anxious may increase the reaction to pain. In general, it appears that control that is perceived as inadequate may be worse than not having any control. The theoretical and methodological implications of these results were discussed.

[1]  J. V. Wood,et al.  Attributions, beliefs about control, and adjustment to breast cancer. , 1984, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[2]  N. L. Corah Effect of Perceived Control on Stress Reduction in Pedodontic Patients , 1973, Journal of dental research.

[3]  D. O'connell,et al.  A CONCENTRIC SHOCK ELECTRODE FOR PAIN STIMULATION. , 1965, Psychophysiology.

[4]  M. Keeri-Szanto,et al.  Drugs or drums: What relieves postoperative pain? , 1979, PAIN.

[5]  T. L. Wright,et al.  Self-efficacy expectancies, outcome expectancies, and the persistence of pain control in childbirth. , 1983, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[6]  K. Bowers Pain, anxiety, and perceived control. , 1968, Journal of consulting and clinical psychology.

[7]  Psychological Reactance and the Relinquishment of Control , 1984 .

[8]  J. Averill Personal control over aversive stimuli and its relationship to stress. , 1973 .

[9]  T. S. Ball,et al.  Uncertain Pain and the Pain of Uncertainty , 1971, Perceptual and motor skills.

[10]  J. Singer,et al.  Perceived control of aversive stimulation and the reduction of stress responses. , 1973, Journal of personality.

[11]  M. Weisenberg Pain and pain control. , 1977, Psychological bulletin.

[12]  R. Sternbach Pain Patients: Traits and Treatments , 1974 .

[13]  E. C. Huskisson,et al.  Graphic representation of pain , 1976, Pain.

[14]  Suzanne M. Miller,et al.  Controllability and human stress: method, evidence and theory. , 1979, Behaviour research and therapy.

[15]  R. Gatchel,et al.  Reduction of stress in humans through nonveridical perceived control of aversive stimulation. , 1970, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[16]  Yuval Wolf,et al.  Relevant and irrelevant anxiety in the reaction to pain , 1984, Pain.

[17]  A. Bandura Self-efficacy mechanism in human agency , 2024, Psihologìâ ì suspìlʹstvo.

[18]  G. Schwartz,et al.  Self-control and predictability: their effects on reactions to aversive stimulation. , 1971, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[19]  S. Thompson Will it hurt less if i can control it? A complex answer to a simple question. , 1981 .

[20]  A. Bandura Self-efficacy: toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. , 1977, Psychological review.

[21]  M. Weisenberg PAIN ; clinical and experimental perspectives , 1976 .

[22]  Lloyd K. Daniels,et al.  Behavioral Methods for Chronic Pain and Illness , 1978 .

[23]  B. Tursky,et al.  ETHNIC DIFFERENCES AMONG HOUSEWIVES IN PSYCHOPHYSICAL AND SKIN POTENTIAL RESPONSES TO ELECTRIC SHOCK. , 1965, Psychophysiology.