Posted by Todd (216.199.4.47) on March 12, 2000 at 13:35:37:
In Reply to: Do I understand the Kip scale? posted by Dave on March 12, 2000 at 13:17:35:
Dave-
My interpretation of the Kip Scale is pretty much the same as yours:
a) it's geometric, not linear in progression
b) by common agreement, there cannot be anything above a 10. We may each define a 10 differently, but by definition, it's as bad as it can possibly get (whatever that means to a given individual).
c) with a 'hard shadow' (say K4), I have no interest in posting, reading, being on the puter, watching tv or anything else, except focusing and trying to 'talk' the Demon out of hitting me.
Pain is extremely subjective and individualistic. There have been studies which claim gender differences in pain tolerance (both ways, btw). Any parent/aunt/uncle or other person around young children knows that a 5 y/o's 'tolerance' or 'perception' of pain is much different than an adults.
Because of all this, no two of us will ever probably agree to what a 10 (or any other #) is, even if there were an objective way to measure it. Thus, the best we can hope for is a relational scale like the Kip. 0 is No pain (we can all agree to what that is) 10 is as severe as it can possibly get (for THAT individual) Everything else is related to these extremes.
KTSSU,
T