Key result
Extreme temperatures disrupt thermal sensitivity, causing substantially larger just noticeable differences versus moderate conditions.
Why the study?
Does exposure to extreme temperatures alter human thermal sensitivity?
Does exposure to extreme temperatures alter human thermal sensitivity?
p-value: p=<.001
Whole-body thermal sensitivity is disrupted in extreme environments, highlighting the behavioral limits of human thermoregulation.
Thermal sensitivity disruption in extremes warrants caution during exposures; leaves open mechanisms of perceptual bias for further study.
< .001), with larger just noticeable difference in cold (0.95 °C) and hot (0.80 °C) compared with cool (0.39 °C) and warm (0.45 °C) sessions. These findings suggest that whole-body thermal sensitivity is disrupted in extreme environments, potentially due to altered sensory integration or perceptual bias, despite the absence of correlation with the physiological states. This dissociation highlights the behavioral limits of human thermoregulation and calls for further investigation into how distributed bodily signals are integrated into unified thermal experiences. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
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Battistel et al. (2026) studied this question. Extreme temperatures vs. Cool and warm temperatures was evaluated on Just noticeable difference in thermal sensitivity (p=<.001). Extreme temperatures disrupted thermal sensitivity, with larger just noticeable differences in cold (0.95 °C) and hot (0.80 °C) compared to cool (0.39 °C) and warm (0.45 °C) sessions (P<.001).
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