Health Psych - New Material - Final Exam: Brynildsen

Q: What were the IVs? Howe et al., article

A:

1. Expectations (positive vs. negative)

2. Provider warmth (high vs. low)

3. Provider competence (high vs. low)

Q: How were the IVs manipulated? Howe et al., article

A:

• Expectations: Provider told participants the cream would either reduce or increase the allergic reaction

• Warmth: Provider acted either friendly/warm (eye contact, smiling) or cold/distant

• Competence: Provider acted either skilled/confident or unskilled/uncertain

Q: What was the DV? Howe et al., article

A: Size of the allergic reaction (wheal on the skin)

Q: How was the DV measured? Howe et al., article

A:

• Measured the size of the skin reaction using a ruler over time

• Also traced and recorded the reaction size

Q: Is the study experimental or non-experimental? Howe et al., article

A: Experimental (they manipulated variables and randomly assigned participants)

Q: What was the placebo? Howe et al., article

A: A cream with no active ingredients

Q: What were the results regarding expectations? Howe et al., article

A:

• Positive expectations → smaller allergic reaction

• Negative expectations → larger allergic reaction

Q: What were the results regarding social context (warmth and competence)? Howe et al., article

A:

• Effects of expectations were strongest when the provider was both warm and competent

• Effects were weak or gone when provider was cold and not competent

Q: Was there a difference in allergic reaction between positive and negative expectations when the provider had low warmth and competence? Howe et al., article

A:
No — expectations did not really affect the reaction

Q: Was there a difference in allergic reaction between positive and negative expectations when the provider had high warmth and competence? Howe et al., article

A:
Yes —

• Positive expectations → much smaller reaction

• Negative expectations → larger reaction

Q: What was the role of physician warmth and competence in the placebo effect? Howe et al., article

A:

• Warmth + competence strengthened positive expectations (placebo effect)

• They helped make the treatment “work” better

• They did not strongly increase negative expectations (nocebo effect)

Q: What were the results of Talbot (2000) on warm vs. cold anesthesiologist?

A:

• Warm/empathic anesthesiologist →

  • Patients needed less pain medication

  • Patients had faster recovery (shorter hospital stay)

• Cold/aloof anesthesiologist → worse outcomes

Q: What did Haskard et al. (2008) find about communication training?

A:

• Training doctors improved:

  • Patient satisfaction

  • Amount and quality of information given

• Shows communication skills can be learned and improved

Q: Why is pain considered subjective?

A:

• Pain depends on personal experience and perception

• Not always directly tied to actual injury or damage

Q: Difference between acute and chronic pain?

A:

• Acute pain = short-term, intense

• Chronic pain = lasts 3+ months, ongoing

Q: Difference between pain threshold and pain tolerance?

A:

• Threshold = point where pain is first felt

• Tolerance = how much pain someone can handle

Q: What is the gate control theory of pain?

A:

• The brain and spinal cord control a “gate” that decides how much pain gets through

• Pain signals can be increased or blocked

Q: How can pain messages be blocked?

A:

• Distraction

• Thoughts/emotions

• Competing sensations

Q: What is counterirritation?

A:
A: Using another sensation (like rubbing or heat) to reduce pain signals

Q: What were the results of Yoshino et al. (2010)?

A:

• Positive emotions (happy faces) → less pain

• Negative emotions → more pain

• Confirmed by both self-reports and brain activity

Q: Why do patients often take less than the effective dose of pain medication?

A:

• Fear of addiction

• Side effects

• Cost

• Belief they should “tough it out”

Q: How are relaxation, distraction, and meditation related to pain?

A:

• They reduce pain perception

• Help close the “pain gate”

• Lower stress and focus away from pain

Q: What did Cherkin et al. (2016) find about mindfulness and pain?

A:

• Mindfulness reduced:

  • Pain intensity

  • Functional limitations

• As effective as CBT for chronic pain

Q: What did Jackson et al. (2005) find about thoughts and pain tolerance?

A:

• Threatening thoughts → lower pain tolerance

• Reassuring thoughts → higher pain tolerance