On the day she is to be interviewed for an important new position, Rachel awakens with a severe toothache. During the interview she feels no pain; not until 30 minutes later does she become aware again of the troublesome toothache. Rachel's experience is best explained by

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The gate-control theory of pain suggests that the perception of pain is not only determined by physical stimuli but also by psychological factors such as attention and emotions. In Rachel's case, during the interview, her attention was focused on the interview and she was not paying attention to the toothache, thus her perception of pain was decreased. However, after the interview, her attention returned to the toothache and her perception of pain increased again.

On the Day She Is to Be Interviewed for an Important