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The Spectrum of Third-Person Pain: From Observation to Action

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Social and Interpersonal Dynamics in Pain

Abstract

Third-person pain refers to the components and processes engaged when an observer is confronted by another person in pain. The literature that has arisen around this topic has approached it from diverse perspectives, including behavioral theory, social perception, affective science, psychophysiology, social neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, and clinical theory. This chapter begins with a review of the behavioral stimuli to third-person pain and then proceeds to a review of major findings and concepts in the field, organized around a component framework. The components include central nervous responses, autonomic and somatomotor responses, implicit and effortful perceptual and emotional processes, and overt behavior. Core findings and concepts linked to these third-person pain components are reviewed, methodological issues are discussed and areas for future research identified. The vast bulk of literature addressing third-person pain has emphasized prosocial features of the phenomenon. That people do not always respond to others’ pain with empathy and helping is emphasized and areas for research into malignant third-person pain reactions are identified.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC, Canada

    Kenneth M. Prkachin

  2. University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada

    M. Erin Browne

  3. University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, Kelowna, BC, Canada

    Kimberley A. Kaseweter

Authors
  1. Kenneth M. Prkachin
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  2. M. Erin Browne
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  3. Kimberley A. Kaseweter
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kenneth M. Prkachin .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Tine Vervoort

  2. Research Group on Health Psychology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    Kai Karos

  3. Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA

    Zina Trost

  4. Department of Psychology, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada

    Kenneth M. Prkachin

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Prkachin, K.M., Erin Browne, M., Kaseweter, K.A. (2018). The Spectrum of Third-Person Pain: From Observation to Action. In: Vervoort, T., Karos, K., Trost, Z., Prkachin, K. (eds) Social and Interpersonal Dynamics in Pain. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78340-6_11

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