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Updated: Aug 8, 2026

A Simple and Inexpensive Method for Determining Cold Sensitivity and Adaptation in Mice
Published on: March 17, 2015
Active and passive movements give rise to different judgments of coldness
George H VanDoorn1, Barry L Richardson, Dianne B Wuillemin
1Bionics and Cognitive Science Centre, School of Humanities Communications and Social Sciences, Monash University, Churchill, VIC 3842, Australia. george.vandoorn@arts.monash.edu.au
Abstract:
When the right index fingertip of twelve subjects was moved across a cold (15 degrees C) tile by a machine (passive-guided condition), the subjects rated the temperature of the tile as being colder than when they moved the finger across the stimulus themselves (active condition). Results confirmed that active movements were associated with an attenuation of 'coldness'. When these findings are considered alongside those of earlier experiments (see VanDoorn et al, 2005 Perception 34 231 236), it may be concluded that intentionality of movement plays some role in this attenuation.
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