Manual performance during cold exposure as a function of practice level and the thermal conditions of training

Abstract

3 groups of 10 Ss each were given varied thermal experience (warm or cold hands) during 3 weeks of training on a standard manual task. The results were as follows: (a) 1 day of cold-hand training significantly reduces the size of a manual decrement usually associated with cold exposure, but continued cold experience did not; (b) skill level on the task per se did not interact with the cold induced performance decrements; and (c) the thermal conditions associated with performance on the task appeared to become part of the stimulus complex eliciting correct manual responses when these thermal conditions were maintained for a large number of trails, i.e., the Ss learned, not merely to perform on the task, but to perform with warm, or cold hands specifically. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)