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Third-party-funded project

Title:
Experimental studies on the influence of emotions on the perception of pain

Project management at the University of Würzburg:

• Prof. Dr. Paul Pauli , Lehrstuhlinhaber,Tel: 0931-312842,Fax: 0931-312733,Mail: pauli@psychologie.uni-wuerzburg.de

Participating scientists:

• Dipl.-Psych. Antje Gerdes , Doktorandin,Tel: 0931-312426,Fax: 0931-312733,Mail: gerdes@psychologie.uni-wuerzburg.de

Abstract:

The motivational priming hypothesis offers a theoretical framework to explain the interaction between emotions and pain. In the first part of this research project, emotional states are mainpulated as independent variable and the effect of different emotional states on pain perception and processing is investigated. Recently, we validated the predictions of the motivational priming hypothesis for pain ratings and for somatosensory evoked potentials in response to painful electrical stimuli and to pressure pain stimuli. Further research will help us to identify preconditions influencing affective pain modulation. Furthermore, we will investigate if chronic pain patients with different etiologies have altered affective pain modulation in comparison to healthy persons.  Since pain is inherently attention demanding, we expect that explicit affective evaluations become leveled during pain exposure. In contrast to this, implicit affective reactions which are fast and automatic should become more negative in accodance with predictions from the motivational priming theory.

Key words:
    Pain
    Emotion
    Motivational priming hypothesis

Projekt period: from 08.2006 to 07.2009

Funding institution:
DFG ,Granting date: 10.02.2003

Publications:

• Kenntner-Mabiala R, Gorges S, Alpers GW, Lehmann A & Pauli P. (2007). Musically induced arousal affects pain perception in females but not in males: A psychophysiological examination.. Biological Psychology, 75, 19-23.
• Kenntner-Mabiala R & Pauli P. (2005). Affective modulation of brain potentials to painful and nonpainful stimuli.. Psychophysiology, 42, 559-567.
• Kenntner-Mabiala R, Weyers P, & Pauli P. (2007). Sensory and affective pain ratings of painful pressure stimulation are independently influenced by emotional and attentional manipulations.. Cognition and Emotion, 21, 1615-1629.
• Mühlberger A, Wieser MJ, Kenntner-Mabiala R, Pauli P, Wiederhold BK. (2007). Pain modulation during drives through cold and hot virtual environments.. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 10, 516-522.