Button-Pressing for a Time-Off Reward during Sensory Deprivation: IV. Relation to Change in Ratings of Well-Being

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Abstract
Fifteen Ss were given the opportunity to button-press for a promised time-off reward during a 3-hr. sensory deprivation (S-D) session. Before entering S-D, Ss rated their state of well-being by means of a semantic differential scale. Immediately after leaving S-D, Ss used a copy of the same scale to rate their state of well-being while in S-D. Comparison of self ratings of Ss who button-pressed with those who did not suggested that, while there were no significant differences in well-being between groups before S-D, the button-pressers experienced a significantly greater decrement in well-being during S-D. A significant rho of .69 was found between button-pressing and a discomfort quotient derived from the self-ratings.