Core Body Temperature and Social Arousal

Abstract

Arousal can be thought of as basic metabolic activity, which produces heat. Considerable metabolic activity takes place in the brain. Temperature measured at the tympanic membrane (ear- drum) is highly correlated with core temperature at the hypo thalamus and may provide an index of arousal. In two experi ments tympanic temperature was observed to increase during so cial interaction. Temperature increased less with three part ners than with one, possibly due to the diffusion of attention from others.