HAND DIFFERENCES AND REPORTED INTENSITY OF NOCICEPTIVE STIMULI

The hypothesis tested in the present study was that subjects would rep ort higher intensity of heat-pain sensation for the left hand than for the right given right-brain dominance for negative emotion and tactua l sensitivity. Low, medium, and high temperatures (42-degrees, 45-degr ees, and 48-degrees-C, respectively) were presented to 20 healthy subj ects' left and right forearms, wrists, and backs of hands. Using a mod ified magnitude-estimation scale, subjects rated the intensity of ''he at-discomfort'' that they felt following each 5-sec. stimulus presenta tion. Mean magnitude estimations for the left-and right-hand responses to high, medium, and low heat were analyzed using a 2 x 3 totally wit hin-subjects analysis of variance. No significant differences between the right and left hands were observed for intensity of pain perceptio n.