title: Computer-delivered social norm message increases pain tolerance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few experimental studies have been conducted on social determinants of pain tolerance.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study tests a brief, computer-delivered social norm message for increasing pain tolerance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Healthy young adults (N = 260; 44 % Caucasian; 27 % Hispanic) were randomly assigned into a 2 (social norm) × 2 (challenge) cold pressor study, stratified by gender. They received standard instructions or standard instructions plus a message that contained artificially elevated information about typical performance of others.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Those receiving a social norm message displayed significantly higher pain tolerance, F(1, 255) = 26.95, p < .001, η p (2)  = .10 and pain threshold F(1, 244) = 9.81, p = .002, η p (2)  = .04, but comparable pain intensity, p > .05. There were no interactions between condition and gender on any outcome variables, p > .05.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Social norms can significantly increase pain tolerance, even with a brief verbal message delivered by a video.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, California State University San Marcos, 333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Rd, San Marcos, CA, 92096, USA, kpulvers@csusm.edu.
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pulvers
authors.forename: Jacquelyn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schroeder
authors.forename: Eleuterio F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Limas
authors.forename: Shu-Hong
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000523:psychology*; D066262:Social Norms; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult