Hand Differences and Reported Intensity of Nociceptive Stimuli

Abstract

The hypothesis tested in the present study was that subjects would report higher intensity of heat-pain sensation for the left hand than for the right given right-brain dominance for negative emotion and tactual sensitivity. Low, medium, and high temperatures (42°, 45°, and 48° C, respectively) were presented to 20 healthy subjects' left and right forearms, wrists, and backs of hands. Using a modified magnitude-estimation scale, subjects rated the intensity of “heat-discomfort” that they felt following each 5-sec. stimulus presentation. Mean magnitude estimations for the left-and right-hand responses to high, medium, and low heat were analyzed using a 2 × 3 totally within-subjects analysis of variance. No significant differences between the right and left hands were observed for intensity of pain perception.