Perceived intensity of peripheral thermal stimuli is independent of internal body temperature.

Four adult male human subjects were tested under three conditions of internal body temperature: hypothermia, normal, and hyperthermia. Under each of these conditions, they judged the intensity (degree of warmness or coolness) and the hedonic quality (degree of pleasantness or unpleasantness) of a series of stimuli ranging from hot to cold. The results showed that whereas hedonic quality is greatly influenced by the value of internal body temperature, the perception of warmness or coolness is independent of internal temperature and dependent only on peripheral stimulation.