Rammsayer T H, Bahner E, Netter P
Dept. of Psychology, University of Giessen, Germany.
Integr Physiol Behav Sci. 1995 Jan-Mar;30(1):34-45. doi: 10.1007/BF02691388.
Only a very few studies on the effects of cold on human information processing appear to exist. Therefore, the present experiment was designed to study the effects of the experimentally induced lowering of body core temperature on information processing, while applying a reaction time paradigm. Thirty healthy male volunteers performed a stimulus evaluation-response selection reaction time task after exposure to ambient temperatures of either 28 or 5 degrees C. A 0.5 degree C-decrease in body core temperature resulted in a significant increase in both reaction and movement time indicating a general deteriorating effect of lowering of body core temperature on information processing. Mean reaction times were 538 ms and 549 ms for the control and the cold group, respectively (p < .05). The respective mean movement times were 298 ms and 269 ms (p < .001). Speed of stimulus evaluation was not sensitive to decreases in body core temperature. However, response complexity and body core temperature showed a significant interaction in their effect on movement time (p < .05), indicating that lowering of body core temperature is more likely to affect response-related stages of central information processing rather than stimulus evaluation. Furthermore, movement time appeared to be more sensitive to cold-induced effects on information processing as compared to reaction time. Additional correlational analyses suggest that the observed effects can be considered as independent of changes in skin temperature and experienced levels of thermal discomfort. Taken together, the results indicate that lowering of body core temperature differentially affects various stages of information processing.
关于寒冷对人类信息处理影响的研究似乎仅有极少数。因此，本实验旨在采用反应时范式，研究实验诱导的人体核心温度降低对信息处理的影响。30名健康男性志愿者在暴露于28摄氏度或5摄氏度的环境温度后，执行了刺激评估 - 反应选择反应时任务。人体核心温度每降低0.5摄氏度，反应时间和运动时间均显著增加，这表明人体核心温度降低对信息处理有普遍的恶化作用。对照组和寒冷组的平均反应时间分别为538毫秒和549毫秒（p < .05）。各自的平均运动时间分别为298毫秒和269毫秒（p < .001）。刺激评估速度对人体核心温度的降低不敏感。然而，反应复杂性和人体核心温度在对运动时间的影响上存在显著交互作用（p < .05），这表明人体核心温度降低更有可能影响中枢信息处理中与反应相关的阶段，而非刺激评估。此外，与反应时间相比，运动时间似乎对寒冷诱导的信息处理影响更为敏感。额外的相关分析表明，观察到的效应可被视为独立于皮肤温度变化和所体验到的热不适程度。综上所述，结果表明人体核心温度降低对信息处理的各个阶段有不同影响。
