From being alone to being the only one: Neuroticism is associated with an egocentric shift in an alone context.

OBJECTIVE: This research presents evidence for an egocentric shift occurring among individuals high in Neuroticism by the mere thought-and actual state-of being alone. METHOD: Four experiments and one experience sampling study (N = 719). In the experiments, Neuroticism was measured, and participants were randomly primed to adopt either an alone or a "with others" social context mind-set. The experiments measured different expressions of egocentrism. Study 1 measured perspective-taking, Study 2a was focused on social value orientation, Study 2b measured money allocation in a dictator game, and Study 3 measured self-reported and behavioral interpersonal trust. Trust was also the focus of Study 4, a 5-day experience sampling study. RESULTS: In an alone mind-set, high (vs. low) Neuroticism individuals were more likely to adopt an egocentric perspective in evaluating social stimuli (Study 1) and to adopt a selfish approach to money allocation (Studies 2a, 2b). Studies 3 and 4 addressed the source of the shift, showing that in an alone mind-set (Study 3) and in an actual alone state (Study 4), Neuroticism was associated with reduced interpersonal trust. CONCLUSIONS: For high-Neuroticism individuals, thinking about-and actually being-alone induces a sense that they only have themselves to rely on.

Can self-reported pain characteristics and bedside test be used for the assessment of pain mechanisms? An analysis of results of neuropathic pain questionnaires and quantitative sensory testing.

Hyperalgesia and allodynia are frequent in neuropathic pain. Some pain questionnaires such as the Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (LANSS) and the Neuropathic Pain Scale (NPS) include self-assessment or bedside testing of hyperalgesia/allodynia. The aim of this study was to determine to what extent LANSS and NPS data are congruent with findings on quantitative sensory testing (QST). Self-reported presence of dynamic mechanical allodynia (DMA) and descriptors of hot, cold, or deep ongoing pain (the NPS and LANSS) as well as bedside findings of mechanical allodynia (LANSS) were compared with signs of DMA and thermal hyperalgesia on QST in 617 patients with neuropathic pain. Self-reported abnormal skin sensitivity (LANSS) showed a moderate concordance with DMA during bedside test (67.9%, κ = 0.391) or QST (52.8%, κ = 0.165). Receiver operating curve analysis for self-reported DMA yielded similar area-under-the-curve values for the LANSS (0.65, confidence interval: 0.59%-0.97%) and NPS (0.71, confidence interval: 0.66%-0.75%) with high sensitivity but low specificity. Self-reported deep pain intensity was higher in patients with blunt pressure hyperalgesia, but not in patients with DMA or thermal hyperalgesia. No correlations were observed between self-reported hot or cold pain quality and thermal hyperalgesia on QST. Self-reported abnormal skin sensitivity has a high sensitivity to identify patients with DMA, but its low specificity indicates that many patients mean something other than DMA when reporting this symptom. Self-reported deep pain is related to deep-tissue hypersensitivity, but thermal qualities of ongoing pain are not related to thermal hyperalgesia. Questionnaires mostly evaluate the ongoing pain experience, whereas QST mirrors sensory functions. Therefore, both methods are complementary for pain assessment.