Platow, MichaelVoudouris, Nicholas JCoulson, MelissaGilford, NicolaJamieson, RachelNajdovski, LizPapaleo, NicolePollard, ChelseaTerry, Leanne2015-12-080046-2772http://hdl.handle.net/1885/29368A large body of research demonstrates a strong social component to people's pain experiences and pain-related behaviours. We investigate this by examining the impact of social-influence processes on laboratory-induced pain responses by manipulating the social-categorical relationship between the person experiencing pain and another who offers reassurance. We show that physiological arousal associated with laboratory-induced pain is significantly lower in normal, healthy participants following reassurance about the pain-inducing activity when that reassurance comes from an ingroup member in contrast to reassurance from an out-group member and a no reassurance control. These data are consistent with predictions derived from self-categorization theory, providing convincing empirical support of its analysis of social influence using a non-reactive measure. These data also represent a clear advance within the pain literature by identifying a possible common process to the social-psychological component of pain responses.200710.1002/ejsp.3812015-12-08