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Social Pain and Physical Pain Overlap Theory: A Pharmacological Evaluation of the Neural Alarm System Hypothesis of Social Pain

Roberts, Ian D
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1373539616

Abstract Details

2013, Master of Arts, Ohio State University, Psychology.
Past research has suggested that shared neural processes and computational mechanisms may underlie experiences of physical pain as well as social pain. Indeed, both physical and social pain have been associated with neural activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Meanwhile, computational modeling work in the field of cognitive neuroscience has suggested that the ACC functions as a monitor for conflicts in information-processing. Based on ACC's association with physical and social pain as well as detecting conflicts, Eisenberger and Lieberman (2004) proposed that the ACC functions as a neural alarm system by (1) detecting discrepancies from desired set points and (2) triggering an alarm in the form of negative affect and autonomic responses. However, to date, there has been little work investigating the neural alarm system hypothesis. Therefore, the present work sought to examine the neural alarm system's prediction that conflict-monitoring processes are involved in social pain responses and drew on the recent finding that acetaminophen decreases social pain and ACC activity associated with social exclusion (DeWall et al., 2010). Specifically, it was predicted that acetaminophen would interfere with conflict-monitoring processes and that this effect would be associated with reductions in social pain. Two experiments tested this hypothesis. While the results did not provide support for the neural alarm system hypothesis, reduced social pain as a result of an acute dose of acetaminophen is demonstrated. Implications for the neural alarm system model and future research directions are discussed.
Baldwin Way (Advisor)
Kentaro Fujita (Committee Member)
Jennifer Crocker (Committee Member)
46 p.
Cognitive Psychology; Psychology; Social Psychology
social pain; pain overlap theory; neural alarm system; conflict monitoring; acetaminophen

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Roberts, I. D. (2013). Social Pain and Physical Pain Overlap Theory: A Pharmacological Evaluation of the Neural Alarm System Hypothesis of Social Pain [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1373539616

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Roberts, Ian. Social Pain and Physical Pain Overlap Theory: A Pharmacological Evaluation of the Neural Alarm System Hypothesis of Social Pain. 2013. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1373539616.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Roberts, Ian. "Social Pain and Physical Pain Overlap Theory: A Pharmacological Evaluation of the Neural Alarm System Hypothesis of Social Pain." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1373539616

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1373539616
692
© 2013, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.