ASSUMPTIONS IN HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY
The research into pain highlights some of the assumptions underlying health
psychology.
1 The mind–body split. Early models of pain regarded the physical aspects of pain as
‘real’ and categorized pain as either ‘organic’ or ‘psychogenic’. Such models con-
ceptualized the mind and body as separate and conform to a dualistic model of
individuals. Recent models of pain have attempted to integrate the mind and the
body by examining pain as a perception that is influenced by a multitude of different
factors. However, even within these models the mind and the body are still regarded as
separate.
2 The problem of progression. Over the last 100 years, different theories have been
developed to explain pain. It is often assumed that changes in theoretical perspective
over time represents improvement with the recent theories reflecting a better
approximation to the truth of ‘what pain really is’. However, perhaps these different
theories can also be used themselves as data to show how psychologists have thought
in the past and how they now think about individuals. For example, in the past pain
was seen as a passive response to external stimuli; therefore, individuals were seen as
passive responders. However, today pain is increasingly seen as a response to the
individual’s self-control – pain is a sign of either successful or failed self-control.
Therefore, contemporary individuals are seen as having self-control, self-management
and self-mastery. Perhaps the different theories over time reflect different (not
necessarily better) versions of individuality.
FURTHER READING
➧ Horn, S. and Munafo, M. (1997) Pain: Theory, Research and Intervention.
Buckingham: Open University Press.
This book provides a more detailed overview of the pain literature.
➧ Karoly, P. and Jensen, M.P. (1987) Multimethod Assessment of Chronic Pain.
New York: Pergamon Press.
This book provides a comprehensive and critical overview of the complex area
of pain assessment.
➧ Main C.J. and Spanswick C.C. (eds) (2000) Pain Management: An Inter-
disciplinary Approach. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.
This edited collection provides a detailed account of contemporary approaches
to treating pain.
➧ Turk, D.C. and Melzack, R. (eds) (2001) Handbook of Pain Assessment, 2nd edn.
New York. Guilford Press.
This edited collection provides an excellent overview of how pain can be
measured and the problems inherent within pain assessment.
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