[The effects of intention and mental imagery on the learning of peripheral skin temperature control]

This study aimed to examine the effects of intention to raise the skin temperature and the use of warm imagery as a strategy for the control of skin temperature without biofeedback. Thirty-two adult female subjects were assigned to either one of following four groups: intention-imagery (It-Im), intention-no imagery (It-NIm), no intention-imagery (NIt-Im), and no intention-no imagery (NIt-NIm) groups. The finger-tip skin temperature was measured during following sessions: first trial, first rest, second trial, and second rest sessions. Results were as follows: the It-Im group was able to raise its skin temperature in the first and the second trial sessions, the It-NIm and NIt-Im groups were not able to raise their skin temperature in any sessions, and the skin temperature of the NIt-NIm group was raised during the first trial session, but it was stopped at the second trial session. These results suggest that both intention and strategy are necessary for the control of skin temperature without biofeedback.