In Brief:
Using the thermal grill illusion and a predictive coding framework, this study shows that somatosensory perception can be increased by negative verbal instructions and that this effect is stronger in poorly versus clearly defined sensory stimuli, moderated by neuroticism and absorption. The thermal grill illusion serves as a valuable experimental model to investigate the relative contribution of central versus peripheral input to somatic perception and could be used to investigate pathogenetic mechanisms of chronic pain.
