Culture and gender effects in pain beliefs and the prediction of pain tolerance

The goals of this study were (a) to explore beliefs about appropriate or no rmative pain responses among college students in the United States and Indi a and (b) to examine differences in pain tolerance and intensity ratings an d the role beliefs play in predicting pain tolerance. Scales to assess beli efs about appropriate pain responses in males and females were completed by college students in both countries. Ratings of pain intensity were then ob tained following the cold pressor test. Results indicated that participants in India were less accepting of overt pain expression than those in the Un ited States. Females believed that overt pain expression was more appropria te than did males. Consistent with their beliefs, Indian participants had h igher pain tolerance than those in the United States, and males had higher pain tolerance than females. Reported pain intensity predicted 28% of the v ariance in pain, tolerance, whereas beliefs predicted an additional 5%.