Two experiments were conducted to test the proposal that laughter is a pain antagonist. In Experiment I, thresholds for pressure-induced discomfort of 20 male and 20 female subjects were measured after each subject listened to a 20-min-long laughter-inducing, relaxation-inducing, or dull-narrative audio tape or no tape. Discomfort thresholds were higher for subjects in the laughter- and the relaxation-inducing conditions. In Experiment II, 40 female subjects were matched for pressure-induced discomfort thresholds. Their discomfort thresholds were measured after they listened to a laughter-inducing, interesting narrative, or uninteresting narrative audio tape, completed a multiplication task, or experienced no intervention. Discomfort thresholds increased for subjects in the laughter-inducing condition. Laughter, and not simply distraction, reduces discomfort sensitivity, suggesting that laughter has potential as an intervention strategy for the reduction of clinical discomfort.

No abstract

Higher self-efficacy (SE) is associated with lower pain ratings in chronic pain patients, although longer experience with chronic pain leads to lower SE scores. Self-efficacy in pain patients does not appear to be clearly related to sex or age, however. This study investigated the effects of gender, age, length of pain experience (chronicity) on SE and pain ratings. Archival data from the records of 187 patient's charts were evaluated for demographic information, chronicity, pain ratings and SE. Analyses found a significant inverse relationship between SE and pain ratings (r = -.22) and lower SE for young adult patients. Results support the conclusion that enhanced SE is an important psychosocial intervention in the treatment of chronic pain patients.

No abstract

Three groups of rats were run in a straight runway to sucrose reinforcement. Group lD received 10 sec. of immediate reinforcement; Group lDO received lD sec. of reinforcement followed by 20 sec. delay in the goalbox; Group OlD received lD sec. reinforcement after a 20 sec. delay in the goalbox. Unlike an earlier study, which the present investigation attempted to replicate, Groups OlD and lDO were less resistant to extinction than Group 10 when start and run times were considered.