The effects of induced mood on laboratory pain.

Sixty-five subjects experienced 2 cold pressor immersions. Following the initial immersion, subjects participated in the Velten mood induction procedure by reading either depressive, neutral or elative statements. The sensory discriminative response to pain was measured by ratings of pain, and the affective-reactive response to pain was measured by pain tolerance. Pain tolerance, but not pain ratings, were affected by mood inductions with subjects in the depression condition shortening their tolerance times more than the subjects in the neutral condition and the subjects in the elative condition increasing their tolerance times.