Atmospheric Intensities: Skin Conductance and the Collective Sensing Body

Skin Conductance and Subjective Arousal in Anxiety, Depression, and Comorbidity

Journal of Psychophysiology ◽

10.1027/0269-8803/a000176 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 31 (4) ◽

pp. 145-157 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Laina E. Rosebrock ◽

Denada Hoxha ◽

Catherine Norris ◽

John T. Cacioppo ◽

Jackie K. Gollan

Keyword(s):

Skin Conductance ◽

Comparison Group ◽

Group Differences ◽

Autonomic Arousal ◽

Emotional Picture ◽

Self Reports ◽

Picture Viewing ◽

Anxiety Depression ◽

Subjective Arousal ◽

Healthy Participants

Abstract. Skin conductance (SC), an autonomic arousal measure of the sympathetic nervous system, is a sensitive and useful index of physiological arousal. However, SC data does not always align with self-reports of arousal. SC, self-reported arousal, and their association, known as emotion coherence, may be altered with the presence of major psychiatric illness. This study investigated group differences on SC reactivity and self-reported arousal while viewing positive, negative, neutral, and threat images between participants diagnosed with major depression with and without anxiety disorders relative to a healthy comparison group. Additionally, the strength and direction of association between SC reactivity and arousal ratings (emotion coherence) was examined within groups. Unmedicated participants were recruited via online and paper advertisements around Chicago and categorized into one of four groups (Depressed: n = 35, Anxious: n = 44, Comorbid: n = 38, Healthy: n = 29). SC and affect ratings were collected during and after a standardized emotional picture viewing task. SC reactivity was significantly higher during threat images, regardless of group. During threat image presentation, increased SC reactivity occurred during the last few seconds before picture offset; for all other stimulus types, SC reactivity decreased significantly after picture offset. Anxious and comorbid participants rated emotional images as more arousing than healthy participants; there were no observed differences in arousal ratings between depressed and healthy participants. Heightened reactivity in anxiety may manifest in arousal ratings without corresponding increased SC reactivity to emotional images. Results do not suggest underlying altered psychophysiology in this sample of depressed or anxious participants.

Download Full-text

The Effect of Searching Versus Surfing on Cognitive and Emotional Responses to Online News

Journal of Media Psychology Theories Methods and Applications ◽

10.1027/1864-1105.21.2.49 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 49-59 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Kevin Wise ◽

Hyo Jung Kim ◽

Jeesum Kim

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Skin Conductance ◽

Skin Conductance Level ◽

Emotional Responses ◽

Online News ◽

Self Report ◽

Mixed Design ◽

Information Need ◽

News Stories ◽

Rate Acceleration

A mixed-design experiment was conducted to explore differences between searching and surfing on cognitive and emotional responses to online news. Ninety-two participants read three unpleasant news stories from a website. Half of the participants acquired their stories by searching, meaning they had a previous information need in mind. The other half of the participants acquired their stories by surfing, with no previous information need in mind. Heart rate, skin conductance, and corrugator activation were collected as measures of resource allocation, motivational activation, and unpleasantness, respectively, while participants read each story. Self-report valence and recognition accuracy were also measured. Stories acquired by searching elicited greater heart rate acceleration, skin conductance level, and corrugator activation during reading. These stories were rated as more unpleasant, and their details were recognized more accurately than similar stories that were acquired by surfing. Implications of these results for understanding how people process online media are discussed.

Download Full-text