Conditioned generalization of the galvanic skin response to a subvocal stimulus.

Abstract

"Twenty-one human Ss were chosen for a series of experiments to test the hypothesis that the GSR conditioned to a temporal stimulus compound, consisting of a light and a self-initiated vocal stimulus, can be generalized to a subvocal stimulus . . … Of 12 Ss in the experimental group, 11 demonstrated CR's to a temporal stimulus compound consisting of a light followed by S's self-initiated vocal response (stimulus) in the form of a nonsense word . . … The 11 experimental Ss then showed partial stimulus generalization of GSR to a self-administered neutral vocal stimulus elicited by the visual cue. In 10 of these Ss, GSR's subsequently generalized to a subvocal stimulus self-initiated in response to the visual cue . . … It is concluded that these Ss . . . acquired a degree of subvocal voluntary control over a previously involuntary response." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)