This study is aimed at identifying if increase of heat in ambient environments is able to change negative associations to social proximity for patients suffering from depression. We will investigate if pairing of ambient heat with interpersonal therapy that deals with issues of social proximity influences patients willingness to socially integrate into society. Past research on this topic has found that increasing ambient temperatures increases social proximity and affiliation to others (Ijzerman & Semin, 2010), however, a distinction of the heats impact on long-term change in association to previously stressful social stimuli has not been researched. Merely reactive control to heat has been recorded. Reactive control implies that the body makes unexpected changes to energy expenditure as a result of the body responding to the current environment it finds itself in (Ijzerman et al, 2015). In a stressful situation that induces reactive control, the neural circuits need to adapt and increases core body temp and peripheral body temperature decreases. In the aforementioned literature review, the studies that revealed heat to increase social proximity was only recorded in the time of experiencing the heat, providing a researcher gap to answer whether heat can change future opinions and perceptions of closeness with others. The significance of knowing whether heat can have a large enough impact to **effect** associations is that it could be a viable option for more effective treatment of depressive disorders. It reveals if patients can change predictive attitudes through pairing the attitudes with the positive association of heat (as established in childhood) via repeated exposure (as measured by a questionnaire). **HIJ also here, I was confused where this would fit - the content is quite decent, but where did it fit into the introduction? **