The context of a noxious stimulus affects the pain it evokes

The influence of contextual factors on the pain evoked by a noxious stimulus is not well defined. In this study, a -20 degrees C rod was placed on one hand for 500 ms while we manipulated the evaluative context (or 'meaning') of, warning about, and visual attention to, the stimulus. For meaning, a red (hot, more tissue damaging) or blue (cold, less tissue damaging) visual cue was used. For warning, the stimulus occurred after the cue or they...