Skin temperature regulation: the effects of suggestion and feedback.

This study focuses on the effects of visual digital feedback and verbal suggestions on an individual's ability to increase hand skin temperature. In this 2 x 2 factorial design, thirty-eight college students were assigned to conditions receiving feedback or no feedback and suggestions or no suggestions. Subjects receiving suggestions heard a tape recorded imagery phrase related to increasing hand temperature; subjects in the no-suggestion condition received neutral phrases of electronic definitions. All subjects participated in three training sessions. Analysis of the third session indicated an interaction effect; post hoc analysis indicated a significant difference between subjects receiving feedback with suggestion and subjects receiving feedback and no suggestion. The results suggest that the ability to increase skin temperature may require the concomitant use of feedback and suggestion.