Feedback-aided finger temperature control as a function of locus of control and number of training sessions
Janice Gray Ryles · Montana State University ScholarWorks (Montana State University) · 1978
Sixteen male undergraduate students were selected from a class of 91 to participate in a biofeedback study.Selection was based on their extreme external or extreme internal locus of control scores on Rotter's Social Reaction Inventory.Subjects were divided into four groups based on internalness or externalness and instructions to decrease or increase skin temperature.All subjects participated in six sessions which consisted of a 21 minute adaptation-baseline period, a 21 minute training period and a 15 minute post-baseline period.An analysis of variance indicated that locus of control was not a significant factor in performance after six sessions of training.Increase subjects performed significantly better than decrease subjects.This was in contrast to the findings of the majority of previous skin temperature studies.Further research was recommended to assess the relationship of locus of control and biofeedback performance with sufficient training sessions and employing adequate baseline measures.