Painfully Cold: Effects of a Loving-Kindness Meditation on Cold Pressor Task Performance and Empathic Responses
Ryan A. Robertson, Evangeline A. Wheeler, Stephanie B Lietzau
October 26, 2020 preprint DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/h5dk9 (opens in new tab) via Semantic Scholar
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA brief loving-kindness meditation induction increased pleasure during a cold pressor task compared with a mindfulness relaxation induction, but neither type of meditation affected pain tolerance, pain threshold, or pain reactivity. Empathy levels did not change after either meditation and did not play a significant role in pain management.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 71 |
| Population | Participants |
| Intervention | Loving-kindness meditation |
| Dose | 6-minute meditation induction |
| Keywords | Psychology |
| Key finding | Loving-kindness meditation, but not mindfulness relaxation, increased pleasure during a cold pressor task, and neither meditation affected pain tolerance, threshold, or reactivity. |
Abstract
Mindfulness meditation is sometimes taught as an adjunct to pain management techniques, but scant research has examined the mechanisms by which it works. We compared the effects of different types of meditation (i.e., mindfulness relaxation vs. loving-kindness) on pain tolerance and pain threshold, pain reactivity, self-reported pain levels, and pleasure during a cold pressor task. Furthermore, we explored how empathy levels may differ after a short-term meditation induction, since differences in empathy affect perception of pain. A sample of 71 participants was randomly assigned to receive one of two 6-minute meditation inductions before submerging their hand in ice-cold water. Results indicated no effect of condition on pain tolerance, threshold, or pain reactivity. However, participants in the loving-kindness meditation group reported greater pleasure than those in the mindfulness group. Moreover, empathy levels did not alter after induction, and did not have a significant role in pain management. Results are discussed in terms of how empathy affects pain perception and pain management.