Lauren Wilson

Natural World Inquiry

Cognitive thinking is the ability to consciously think through intellectual activity. These
thoughts recall memories while processing both visually and quickly. The one question I have
about the natural world is whether the ability to think cognitively changes based on temperature.
Extreme temperatures can range but freezing is viewed as making people feel uncomfortably
cold at approximately 40-35 degrees Fahrenheit. Studies have showed ice baths to: constrict
blood vessels and flush lactic acid from the tissues that experience micro trauma, reduce
metabolic activity and delay biological processes, and also lessen inflammation and broken
down tissues. (Quinn, 2013) As a person sits in an ice bath the temperature is approximately
forty degrees Fahrenheit or 4 degrees Celsius, this is nearest the participants can get to an
extreme temperature for safety reasons. This temperature is near extreme and athletes only sit
for ten to fifteen minutes to insure utmost safety. This temperature is a brief simulation of a
possible temperature that a human could be subjected to at a given time.
Humans are subjected to all types of climatically various temperatures. Some
occupations such as firefighters, kiln workers and many others require work in extreme heat or
cold. Different types of Olympic athletes may also deal with extreme conditions. (College
Toolkit, 2013) Extreme conditions are classified as below thirty-two degrees or above ninety
degrees. (College Toolkit, 2013) Often there is psychological research conducted on these human
subjects about the emotional changes from different climate types, but there is little cognitive
assessment. Paulus research gives some significance to cognitive ability associated with extreme
temperatures as well as the psychological point of view.
Cognitive ability is the brains capacity to think critically at higher levels while
processing information, reason, memory, and relation. (Carroll, 1993) High levels of cognitive
Lauren Wilson
ability are important in working and functioning successfully. Humans use cognitive skills in
every decision made. (Carroll, 1993) Hypothesis and conclusions from Paulus research show
that the more extreme the temperature, the more negatively affected the cognitive performance.
This survey will help identify whether the uncomfortable feeling and drastic temperature will
change the ability to think.
The inquiry will be implemented through a series of essential detailed steps. By taking
advantage of student athlete ice bath requirements will provide the perfect opportunity to
complete this inquiry. Prepared biology surveys will be handed out to student athletes before,
during, and after their mandatory ice baths. At the University of Texas at Dallas, student athletes
take ice baths after intense practices to rejuvenate their muscles and work out soreness. Each
survey will ask questions that associate with the same level of basic biology. These questions
will give data that will correlate and show a humans ability to think when sitting in ice water as
opposed to normal room temperature. The inquiry is determining whether colder temperatures
will hinder the participants ability to think and answer basic biological questions, or if it will
help them.
References:
Carroll, J. B. (1993). The study of cognitive abilities. In Human cognitive abilities: A survey of
factor-analytic studies (pp. 3-30). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
College Toolkit (2013). Careers by Job Condition - Very Hot or Cold Temperatures Career
Exploration Tool - College Toolkit. Retrieved December 4, 2013, from
https://www.collegetoolkit.com/career-search/criteria/work-
conditions/veryhotorcoldtemperatures.aspx
Paulus, M. P., Potterat, E. G., Taylor, M. K., Orden, K. F., Bauman, J., Momen, N., . . .
Lauren Wilson
Swain, J. L. (2009). A neuroscience approach to optimizing brain resources for human
performance in extreme environments. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 33(7),
1080-1088. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2009.05.003
Quinn, E. (2013, October 2). Does an Ice Water Bath After Exercise Speed Recovery.
Retrieved December 4, 2013, from
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/sampleworkouts/a/Ice-Bath.htm