Effects of being observed on expressive, subjective, and physiological responses to painful stimuli.

Abstract

Two experiments explored the effects of observation by another on responses to painful stimuli. It was anticipated that the intensity of pain-related non-verbal expressivity decreases under observation, while indices of arousal (skin conductance and self-report) increase. In Experiment 1, subjects' expressive responses to shock were attenuated when subjects were observed as compared to when they were alone, but the anticipated augmentation of arousal did not occur. Rather, the attenuation of expressive behavior was accompanied by a general decrease in subjective and autonomic responses to the painful stimuli. A second experiment replicated the results of the first study and, in addition, found no evidence for a differential impact of sex of observer on the three measures of arousal. An interpretation is discussed for the effect of observation on expressive behavior and for the relationships observed among expressive, autonomic, and subjective indices of pain.

The contingent smile: A meta-analysis of sex differences in smiling.

“…Among adults, Kleck et al (1976) found that men showed less pain-related expressivity when observed than when alone.…”

A biopsychosocial formulation of pain communication.

“…More specifically, responses to pain responses (i.e., both self-report and facial behavior as assessed by judges who viewed videos of the participants' responses) to electric shock were attenuated when subjects were being observed. Self-report tends to be exquisitely sensitive to the social context as perceived, with individuals typically using language to optimize situational outcomes and nonverbal expression is demonstrably sensitive to context in both adults and children (Crombez & Eccleston, 2002;Hadjistavropoulos & Craig, 2002;Kleck et al, 1976;Larochette et al, 2006;Prkachin & Craig, 1985;Sullivan et al, 2004;Vervoort et al, 2008b; Pain Communication 37 Williams, 2002;Zeman & Garber, 1996). Levine and De Simone (1991) showed that males report less experimentally-induced pain in the presence of an attractively dressed female experimenter than in the presence of a male.…”

“…For example, in a critically important study, Kleck et al (1976) studied the effects of observation by another on response to painful stimulation. More specifically, responses to pain responses (i.e., both self-report and facial behavior as assessed by judges who viewed videos of the participants' responses) to electric shock were attenuated when subjects were being observed.…”

Make me special: Gender differences in consumers’ responses to loyalty programs

“…Thus, it is possible that a reward that is appreciated by one gender may be valued less or even backfire for the other gender. Further, in light of empirical evidence that suggests that men and women respond differently to being observed by others (Eagly and Crowley 1986;Fisher and Dubé 2005;Kleck et al 1976) the utility of a particular reward may be moderated by its visibility to others.…”