The effect of the sex of a model on nocebo hyperalgesia induced by social observational learning

• Published in: Pain (Amsterdam) Vol. 154; no. 8; pp. 1312 - 1317
• Main Authors: SWIDER, Karolina, BABEL, Przemysław
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA Elsevier B.V 01.08.2013; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Electroshock - adverse effects; Empathy; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Hyperalgesia - etiology; Hyperalgesia - psychology; Learning - physiology; Male; Medical sciences; Modeling; Models, Psychological; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Nervous system as a whole; Neurology; Nocebo Effect; Nocebo hyperalgesia; Observation; Pain Measurement; Pain Threshold - physiology; Placebo analgesia; Sex Characteristics; Sex differences; Social observational learning; Somesthesis and somesthetic pathways (proprioception, exteroception, nociception); interoception; electrolocation. Sensory receptors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Young Adult; Social observational learning; Sex differences; Empathy; Modeling; Placebo analgesia; Nocebo hyperalgesia; Nervous system diseases; Sex; Social learning; Hyperalgesia; Analgesia; Acquisition process; Pain; Placebo; Observation; Models

Nocebo hyperalgesia was induced by social observational learning. Its magnitude was greater after a male rather than a female model was observed. Research shows that placebo analgesia can be induced through social observational learning. Our aim was to replicate and extend this result by studying th...