Unpacking the Relationship between Big Five Personality Traits and Experimental Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Pain is essential for survival, but individual responses to painful stimuli vary greatly, representing a complex interplay between sensory, cognitive, and affective factors. Individual differences in personality traits covary with differences in pain perception, but it is unclear i) which traits might play the most significant role in shaping the individual’s pain experience and ii) whether this relationship is dependent on the pain modality.We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the relationship between Big Five traits and experimental pain across pain modalities. Higher Extraversion was associated with higher pressure pain tolerance, while higher Neuroticism—with lower pressure pain tolerance. Evidence for a relationship between other traits and domains was lacking, partly due to issues with standardization, biases, and small sample sizes. Based on the findings, we provide an overview of the established and the understudied links between personality and experimental pain across modalities. These results point to the importance of considering certain personality traits when developing treatments and strategies for better outcomes in acute and chronic pain.