Galvanic skin response
Galvanic Skin Response (GSR)
Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), also known as Electrodermal Activity (EDA), is a method of measuring the electrical conductance of the skin, which varies with its moisture level. This is of interest because the sweat glands are controlled by the sympathetic nervous system, so skin conductance is used as an indication of psychological or physiological arousal.
Pronunciation: /ɡælˈvænɪk skɪn rɪˈspɒns/
Etymology: The term "galvanic" is derived from the name of Italian scientist Luigi Galvani who discovered the principle of galvanism. "Skin response" refers to the reaction of the skin to various stimuli.
History
The use of GSR as a measure of psychological arousal can be traced back to the work of Carl Jung in the early 20th century. Jung found that word association tests produced a change in skin conductance, which he believed was linked to emotional arousal.
Method
The measurement of GSR involves the use of a galvanometer to detect small changes in the electrical resistance of the skin. Electrodes are typically placed on the palm or fingertips, as these areas have a high concentration of sweat glands.
Applications
GSR is used in many fields, including psychology, medicine, and neuroscience. It is commonly used in psychophysiology to study emotion and attention. In medicine, it is used to assess the balance of the autonomic nervous system, particularly in patients with conditions such as anxiety disorders and depression.
Related Terms
- Electrodermal Activity (EDA)
- Sympathetic Nervous System
- Galvanometer
- Psychophysiology
- Autonomic Nervous System
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Galvanic skin response
- Wikipedia's article - Galvanic skin response
This WikiMD article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski