Pain here and now: physical pain impairs transcendence of psychological distance
Jens Agerström, Kent Stening, Olof Axman Department of Psychology, Linnaeus University, 391 82 Kalmar, Sweden Background: The ability to traverse psychological distance by going beyond the experienced reality of the self, here and now, is fundamental for effective human functioning. Yet, li...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Dove Medical Press
2019-03-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Pain Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.dovepress.com/pain-here-and-now-physical-pain-impairs-transcendence-of-psychological-peer-reviewed-article-JPR |
| _version_ | 1818269635769794560 |
|---|---|
| author | Agerström J Stening K Axman O |
| author_facet | Agerström J Stening K Axman O |
| author_sort | Agerström J |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Jens Agerström, Kent Stening, Olof Axman Department of Psychology, Linnaeus University, 391 82 Kalmar, Sweden Background: The ability to traverse psychological distance by going beyond the experienced reality of the self, here and now, is fundamental for effective human functioning. Yet, little is known about how physical pain affects transcendence of psychological distance. Using a construal level theory framework of psychological distance, the current research examines the hypothesis that pain impairs people’s ability to traverse any kind of psychological distance whether it be temporal, social, and spatial distance, or the hypothetical. Methods: Using the cold pressor test, 151 participants participated in an experiment where they were either induced with acute pain (treatment group) or no pain (control group) while completing a battery of questions measuring to what extent their current thoughts were transcending psychological distance. Results: The results were largely consistent with the hypothesis. Relative to the control group, pain induced participants showed significantly less transcendence of past temporal distance, social distance, spatial distance, and the hypothetical. Furthermore, greater self-reported pain intensity was significantly associated with less transcendence of temporal (past and future), social, and spatial distance. Conclusion: Physical pain impairs the ability to traverse psychological distance. The research has practical implications for the pain clinic and for pain-afflicted individuals in everyday life. Keywords: physical pain, temporal distance, social distance, spatial distance, hypotheticality |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T20:57:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f5281697203d417e8964c21c2bd73f26 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1178-7090 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T20:57:31Z |
| publishDate | 2019-03-01 |
| publisher | Dove Medical Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Pain Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-f5281697203d417e8964c21c2bd73f262022-12-22T00:12:16ZengDove Medical PressJournal of Pain Research1178-70902019-03-01Volume 1296196844515Pain here and now: physical pain impairs transcendence of psychological distanceAgerström JStening KAxman OJens Agerström, Kent Stening, Olof Axman Department of Psychology, Linnaeus University, 391 82 Kalmar, Sweden Background: The ability to traverse psychological distance by going beyond the experienced reality of the self, here and now, is fundamental for effective human functioning. Yet, little is known about how physical pain affects transcendence of psychological distance. Using a construal level theory framework of psychological distance, the current research examines the hypothesis that pain impairs people’s ability to traverse any kind of psychological distance whether it be temporal, social, and spatial distance, or the hypothetical. Methods: Using the cold pressor test, 151 participants participated in an experiment where they were either induced with acute pain (treatment group) or no pain (control group) while completing a battery of questions measuring to what extent their current thoughts were transcending psychological distance. Results: The results were largely consistent with the hypothesis. Relative to the control group, pain induced participants showed significantly less transcendence of past temporal distance, social distance, spatial distance, and the hypothetical. Furthermore, greater self-reported pain intensity was significantly associated with less transcendence of temporal (past and future), social, and spatial distance. Conclusion: Physical pain impairs the ability to traverse psychological distance. The research has practical implications for the pain clinic and for pain-afflicted individuals in everyday life. Keywords: physical pain, temporal distance, social distance, spatial distance, hypotheticalityhttps://www.dovepress.com/pain-here-and-now-physical-pain-impairs-transcendence-of-psychological-peer-reviewed-article-JPRPainpsychological distance |
| spellingShingle | Agerström J Stening K Axman O Pain here and now: physical pain impairs transcendence of psychological distance Journal of Pain Research Pain psychological distance |
| title | Pain here and now: physical pain impairs transcendence of psychological distance |
| title_full | Pain here and now: physical pain impairs transcendence of psychological distance |
| title_fullStr | Pain here and now: physical pain impairs transcendence of psychological distance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pain here and now: physical pain impairs transcendence of psychological distance |
| title_short | Pain here and now: physical pain impairs transcendence of psychological distance |
| title_sort | pain here and now physical pain impairs transcendence of psychological distance |
| topic | Pain psychological distance |
| url | https://www.dovepress.com/pain-here-and-now-physical-pain-impairs-transcendence-of-psychological-peer-reviewed-article-JPR |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT agerstromj painhereandnowphysicalpainimpairstranscendenceofpsychologicaldistance AT steningk painhereandnowphysicalpainimpairstranscendenceofpsychologicaldistance AT axmano painhereandnowphysicalpainimpairstranscendenceofpsychologicaldistance |