Abstract
Despite the abundance of chronic pain treatment research, chronic pain continues to affect an estimated 20% of the world's population; thus, new approaches are likely needed to expand treatment options. One innovative approach to managing chronic pain distress is moral elevation. Moral elevation is an emotion experienced after witnessing an act of virtue, often described as a feeling of being uplifted, inspired, or in awe. Moral elevation has been linked with positive health-related outcomes such as improved mental health symptoms and higher physical quality of life, as well as higher social functioning such as prosocial behavior and a greater sense of connection with others. However, the relationship between elevation and the experience of pain is unknown. Therefore, the current study aims to investigate whether exposure to moral elevation influences responses to pain and if eliciting elevation impacts interpersonal goals (compassionate and self-image motives), despite the experience of pain. In this experimental study, participants were randomly assigned to watch an elevation or neutral video while undergoing a cold pressor test to elicit a pain response. It was hypothesized that participants in the elevation condition would report significantly higher pain tolerance and lower pain severity compared to the control condition. Additionally, it was hypothesized that those in the elevation condition will report significantly higher compassionate goals and lower self-image goals compared to the control condition. Contrary to hypotheses, elevation did not significantly impact pain outcomes or interpersonal goals compared to the control condition. Although results were nonsignificant, this novel integration of elevation and pain highlights the need for further research to determine whether specific positive emotions can meaningfully influence pain experiences.
Date of publication
Summer 7-7-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Language
english
Persistent identifier
http://hdl.handle.net/10950/4873
Committee members
Dr. Adam McGuire, Dr. Lauren Kirby, Dr. Abigail Happli
Degree
PhD in Clinical Psychology
Recommended Citation
Hayden, Candice, "A Preliminary Examination of the Effects of Moral Elevation on Pain Tolerance, Pain Severity, and Interpersonal Goals" (2025). Clinical Psychology Dissertations. Paper 4.
http://hdl.handle.net/10950/4873