Expectations have shaped reality.

Human perception can change based on various factors. These can be physiological: a recent study revealed that men with elevated testosterone levels are inclined to objectify and "dehumanize" women not only in sexual contexts but also when they are dressed casually at home. They can also be psychological — this is precisely the case explored in a new scientific paper.

A team of specialists from several universities in China and the USA investigated the relationship between different expectations and how individuals interpret the same experience. The relevant scientific article was published in the journal PLOS Biology.

The researchers identified which of the 47 participants in the experiment enjoyed spicy food and which did not. Subsequently, all participants were given the opportunity to sample sauces of varying spiciness or water, while their brain activity was monitored using magnetic resonance imaging. During this process, participants were shown cues in the form of pepper icons: neutral (always two gray peppers regardless of the sauce's spiciness) or indicating the level of spiciness (two red peppers for very spicy sauce, one red and one blue pepper for moderately spicy, and two blue peppers for water). What each set of icons meant was not disclosed to the participants.

It turned out that positive expectations, characteristic of individuals who enjoy spicy food, increased activity in brain regions associated with pleasure and the placebo effect. Conversely, when participants disliked spicy food and had negative expectations, anxiety intensified, activating parts of the brain related to pain.

“I was surprised by how significantly negative expectations heightened the brain's response to pain, even though the stimulus was the same. This emphasizes that the anticipation of discomfort can lead to experiencing stronger pain. I hope this research will spur further exploration into how expectations shape our sensory experiences, which could potentially lay the groundwork for developing pain management strategies and improving therapeutic outcomes,” stated one of the authors of the scientific article.

According to the researcher, future studies should focus on how expectations and a person's subjective reality are linked to cultural and individual food preferences. The results are likely to inspire new methods that will allow for the personalization of pain relief strategies based on the unique experiences of patients.