Temperature regulation training in a cooling environment

Twelve young men were given biofeedback training to enable them to increase finger temperature at will. They were dressed in warm clothing, including gloves, and placed six at a time in an environmental chamber at 7 degrees C for three hours daily for eight work days. Each was to attempt six rewarmings per session. Finger temperature was presented to the subject on a multipoint recorder. Data from 554 attempts were analyzed. A training effect was not noted, but successful rewarmings were present from the start. The 12 subjects varied considerably in ability to rewarm, from 89% to 28% successes. They were divided into the most and least consistent who, nevertheless, remained over 10 degrees C above air temperature. These performances were compared with another group wearing identical, or even much more insulative, handwear under roughly comparable conditions but without voluntary rewarming; the advantage of periodic feedback rewarming to maintain finger temperature in such conditions was obvious.