People who don’t suffer from pain less willing to help others who do 

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — According to a new study, people who don’t experience body pain are less likely to assist others who do suffer from it. 

Previous research has focused on the association between people struggling with their own personal pain. Evidence from that research shows people are more likely to form a connection based on empathy with others in similar situations.

But, in a first-of-its-kind study published in the journal “Psychological Scientists,” researchers at the University of Vienna found the opposite was true when circumstances changed, which they say is concerning because it comes at a social cost. 

Ninety participants were instructed to administer supposedly painful electrical shocks to others at varying levels. They could either reduce shock levels or increase them under two different situations: when the participants were told the other people were given a painkiller when shocked, and when the group was not given one. The participants were unaware the painkiller was a placebo drug. 

Results showed the participants administered higher levels of electrical shock when people were given the pain-reducing placebo, compared to the group they were told did not. This occurred even when participants had the opportunity to help to know the medication would only marginally minimize the pain, researchers say.

“Previous studies had already shown that such a placebo can reduce empathy,” Dr. Helena Hartman, lead study author, said in a news release. “Our experiment now shows for the first time that it also reduces the willingness to engage in actual helping behavior, based on this reduced empathy.”