Several variables of importance in the use of the cold pressor as a noxious stimulus in behavioral research.

To examine the effects of subject's sex, hand dominance, and spatial summation on cold pressor tolerance and discomfort, 80 subjects were randomly assigned to one of eight conditions using a 2 x 2 x 2 design. Analysis showed that females immersing the hand tolerated the stimulus significantly less time than males immersing the hand, females immersing the finger, or males immersing the finger. Female subjects reported significantly more pain than males, and subjects who immersed the hand reported significantly more pain than subjects who immersed the finger only. Implications are discussed.