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PSYC 4300 - Psychophysiology > The Electrodermal System > Flashcards

The Electrodermal System Flashcards

1
Q

History

Study of electrodermal activity

A

Dates back to the 1800

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2
Q

History (3)

A

Laboratory of Jean Charcot
Studied patients with hysteria
Measured skin resistance in patients

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3
Q

Modern era of electrodermal activity (2)

A

Dates to the 1970s
Lykken & Venables standardized recording

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4
Q

Electrodermal activity
Linked to

A

Linked to emotion, attention, and arousal from the start

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5
Q

Carl Jung (1875-1961)

A

Measured EDA to objectively measure emotional aspects of “hidden complexes” during word-association experiments

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6
Q

Two types of sweat glands

A

Eccrine and Apocrine

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7
Q

Eccrine (3)

A

Forms basis of skin conductance
Located all over body
Dense concentration on surface of feet & hands (3000/inch2)

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8
Q

Apocrine (3)

A

Associated with hair follicles in armpits & pubic region
Function is a matter of debate
Not important for this course

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9
Q

What we care about in this class

A

Eccrine

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10
Q

Functions of Eccrine sweat glands (2)

A

Thermoregulation
Grasping

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11
Q

Thermoregulation

A

Cooling of the body

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12
Q

Grasping

A

sweat works as an adhesive (creates fiction)
objects (ex: paper sticks to sweaty hands)

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13
Q

Sweat glands on hands (palmar) and feet (plantar) surfaces

A

More responsive to psychologically significant stimuli than to thermal stimuli

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14
Q

Electrodermal activity & the Eccrine gland

Electrodermal activity

A

Measure of filling of sweat glands NOT the sweat on the surface of the skin

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15
Q

As sweat fills the duct (2)
What is measured?

A

Conduction increases and Resistance decreases
This is what is measured

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16
Q

Electrodermal activity
Activated by

A

Sympathetic nervous system (SNS)
Cholinergic innervation

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17
Q

With higher SNS activity, (2)

A

Sweat rises in the ducts & greater number of ducts fill

Which leads to changes (increases) in EDA

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18
Q

Electrodermal activity

Several CNS pathways (3)

A

First and Highest Level of Control
Second Level of Control
Third Level of Control

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19
Q

Electrodermal activity

First and Highest Level of Control (3)

A

Originates in Premotor cortex
Descends through pyramidal tract (motor control)
More general frontal cortex

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20
Q

Electrodermal activity

Second level of control

A

Hypothalamus and limbic system

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21
Q

Electrodermal activity

Third level of control

A

Reticular formation

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22
Q

Electrodermal activity

Brain lesions affect EDA

A

Ventromedial, Anterior cingulate, Orbital frontal lesion studies suggest that this region is important for EDA

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23
Q

Electrodermal activity

Brain lesions affect EDA diagram

A

The corticolimbic system

Anterior cingulate cortex: Affect selective attention and social interactions
Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex: Motivation/Executive function
Amygdala: Emotional stress and learning
Hippocampus: Learning and Memory

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24
Q

Advantages and Disadvantages of SCR in research

Disadvantage:

A

EDA does not occur in isolation
It is part of complex responses mediated by the ANS

Slow moving responses: 1-3 secs
Therefore, not good for tracking rapid mental processes

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25
Advantages and Disadvantages of SCR in research Disadvantage: (what I wrote)
Slow moving response; Not good for tracking rapid mental processes Can’t tie one to another
26
Advantages and Disadvantages of SCR in research Advantage: (2)
Sensitive to arousal, attention, novelty and significance Response is quite discriminable: After single presentation of a stimulus, you can see if a response occurred.
27
Advantages and Disadvantages of SCR in research Advantage: (what I wrote)
Sensitive to arousal, attention, novelty, and significance; Response is quite discriminable Good thing: Can see a response after one trial
28
Skin conductance response Two types
Nonspecific (NS) SCR (tonic levels) ER-SCR: Event-Related SCR (Phasic levels)
29
Skin conductance response Nonspecific (NS) SCR (tonic levels) (3)
Tonic skin conductance level varies widely between 5s (range: 2-20 us) Occurs at a rate of 1-3/minute while 5s at rest May be elicited by deep breaths and body movements
30
Skin conductance response ER-SCR: Event-Related SCR (Phasic levels)
Response to specific stimulus; Average range is 0.1-1.0 uSiemens Onset latency: usually occurs 1-3 seconds after stimulus onset
31
Terms and Units of measurement Generic terms (2) EDA= GSR=
EDA= electrodermal activity GSR= Galvanic skin response
32
Skin resistance is
Measured in ohms
33
Skin resistance SRL= SRR=
SRL= Skin resistance level (tonic); 10,000-500,000 SRR= Skin resistance response (Phasic); 100-10,000
34
Skin conductance is measured in
Measured in Siemens
35
Skin conductance SCL= SCR=
SCL= Skin conductance level (tonic); 2-20 u(micro)siemens SCR= Skin conductance response (Phasic); 0.1-1.0 u(micro)siemens
36
Measure and definition Skin conductance level (SCL)
Tonic level of electrical conductivity of skin (2-20 uS)
37
Measure and definition Change in SCL
Gradual changes in SCL measured at two or more points in time (1-3 uS)
38
Measure and definition Frequency of NS-SCRs
Number of SCRs in absence of identifiable eliciting stimulus (1-3 per min)
39
Measure and definition SCR amplitude
Phasic increase in conductance shortly following stimulus onset (0.1-1.0 uS)
40
Measure and definition SCR latency
Temporal interval between stimulus onset and SCR initiation (1-3 s)
41
SCR rise time
Temporal interval between SCR initiation and SCR peak (1-3s)
42
SCR half recovery time
Temporal interval between SCR peak and point of 50% recovery of SCR amplitude (2-10 s)
43
SCR habituation (trials to habituation)
Number of stimulus presentations before two or three trials with no response (2-8 stimulus presentations)
44
SCR habituation (slope)
Rate of change of ER-SCR amplitude (0.01-0.5 uS per trial)
45
Skin conductance response Conductance and resistance
Conductance measured in mhos or Siemens (1 S=1 mho) Resistance measured in ohms
46
Skin conductance response Origin of EDA Level of sweat in the duct:
The higher the level, the lower the resistance & therefore higher conductance
47
Addition of sweat on skin surface
Enhances SCL
48
Skin conductance measurement (5)
- Level of conductance (SCL) in a time window - Number of conductance changes (SCR) in that window - Latency of response - SCR recovery halftime -SCR rise time
49
Skin conductance measurement Latency of response
Time between stim and SCR onset
50
Skin conductance measurement SCR recovery halftime
Time between peak and 50% recovery to pre-stim baseline
51
Skin conductance measurement SCR rise time
Time between onset of SCR and peak of SCR
52
Skin conductance measurement Diagram
Graphical representation of principal EDA components Stimulus Graph: Latency, Rise Time, Amplitude, Half recovery time
53
Rise time (what I wrote)
Time to get to highest peak
54
Half recovery time (what I wrote)
Is the highest peak
55
Skin conductance response Measurement Note: This is termed
Very small current is applied across the skin Exosomatic: it relies on external current source (Endosomatic does not require external source, one active and one reference electrode (for skin potentials))
56
Skin conductance response Electrode placement
Bipolar placement (on inside middle of pointer and middle finger)
57
Skin conductance response and placement SCR & Mental activity
Weak link between working memory and SCR SCR suggests registration of material (better learners, greater SCR)
58
Skin conductance response and placement SCR Habituation
Learning increases SCR, Overlearning (Habituation) decreases SCR
59
EDA & Behavior Emotions and SCR (3)
Emotional stimuli in general elicit increases in SCR Greater SCR to fear compared to anger Also SCL is high during expression of negative emotions
60
EDA & Behavior SCR in Psychopathic inmates (2)
- Compared to nonpsychopathic inmates and college students: psychopaths had lower SCR at rest and while performing a task involving electric shock - Lower levels of tonic EDA have been reported in adolescents who later exhibit antisocial behavior

PSYC 4300 - Psychophysiology (9 decks)

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