Self-Control of Digital Temperature: Physiological Factors and Transfer Effects.

Two experiments were conducted in the present investigation. In the first, subjects receiving finger temperature feedback showed significant increases in digital temperature during the first 12 min of the first training session, an effect not shown by subjects receiving autogenic training, electromyograph feedback, or simple instructions to increase finger temperature. During five subsequent training sessions, significant temperature elevations were not shown by any group. During a post training test of voluntary control, only the temperature feedback group produced a significant elevation in digital temperature. In a second voluntary control test, conducted outside the laboratory, no temperature increases were found. It was hypothesized that finger temperature elevations produced during temperature feedback might be time limited or that excessive session length might impede training. Accordingly, a second experiment was performed in which training periods and session length were reduced. Temperature feedback subjects now consistently increased theft finger temperature during training and without feedback, both inside and outside the laboratory. These effects were not shown by control subjects. It is concluded that consistent finger temperature elevations during training are necessary for generalization of this response outside the laboratory. Although relaxation was not necessary for temperature elevation in the laboratory, it might have enhanced this effect outside the laboratory setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]