Schrooten, M. 1, 2 & Vlaeyen, J. 1, 2
1 Maastricht University, The Netherlands
2 University of Leuven, Belgium
Decision making is often accompanied by intra-personal conflicts between incompatible goals. Little is known about the functional role of goal conflicts in pain. Therefore, this study examined the effects of pain-related goal conflicts on choice patterns and pain perception. Seventy five undergraduates performed a choice task with on every trial a certain probability of delivery of painful stimulation and/or money. In each trial, participants choose between decreasing the probability of receiving painful stimulation vs. increasing the probability of receiving money (approach-approach conflict), between increasing the probability of receiving painful stimulation vs. decreasing the probability of receiving money (avoidance-avoidance), between increasing vs. decreasing both probabilities (approach/avoidance-approach/avoidance). Following each choice, there was 80% chance that probabilities changed. For each stimulation delivered, participants rated painfulness, unpleasantness, threat value, and fear of a subsequent painful stimulus. Mood was rated four times throughout the task. Conflict strength was derived from choice latency and number of switches between choice alternatives. First results suggest that in the avoidance-avoidance conflict situation, the number of switches predicted pain-related threat and fear, with these effects being mediated by current mood. This finding supports a motivational view on pain, focussing on pain perception and behavior in the context of multiple goals.