Can We Control Pain?

Watch the extraordinary outcome of a laboratory experiment in which participants are given electric shocks. How does anticipation of pain or the use of placebos affect the pain the participants feel? Biology - Being Human - Learning Points. Our brains affect how much pain we feel. If we expect something to hurt a lot, it is likely to feel more painful. If we expect something not to hurt, we may be able to withstand greater pain. The relationship between expectation and pain can be demonstrated in experiments using electric shocks. A Twig Context Film. Reinforce and extend the learning required by the curriculum. Twig’s context films show abstract concepts in action in the real world.