The current pain management interventions are emphasizing on conscious regulation of pain-related behaviors and emotions. In contrast, novel interventions like priming-based ones suggest that behavior- and emotion-regulation happens without conscious selection. Based on the perceptual symbol systems theory, this study investigated the impact of non-conscious exposure to a visual symbol of healing, upright posture, on the perception of pain. A sample of 71 students (44 females, 27 males) from the University of Tehran completed two coldpressor tests (aiming at producing acute pain in lab), examined either visual symbol effect of control stimuli. One of the most prominent symbols of healing is an upright state of body (vs. down state of body). In an organized timing during coldpressor test completion, the visual symbol of healing and the neutral stimulus were presented to the subjects and in both tests using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), an online and repetitive assessment of pain intensity with specific time intervals was employed. The results showed that participants who were exposed to a visual symbol of healing reported experiencing more relief from pain than those who were examined with a neutral stimulus. These findings support the explanation proposed by perceptual symbols systems theory about the mechanisms underlying the physical changes caused by psychological processes. Also, the possible effectiveness of using a brief priming-based intervention in dealing with acute pain is supported by the results.
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