Electrodermal fluctuation as a function of verbal incentive

This study was to determine if verbal incentive is an effective variable in the development of the control of electrodermal fluctuations (EDFs); and if body movement and respiratory artifacts are confounding variables in the feedback control of EDFs. Nonlabiles encouraged to increase EDFs by “thinking emotional thoughts” demonstrated significant increases in both EDFs and body movement and respiratory artifacts. However, persons with few, if any, artifacts showed an almost identical pattern of EDFs as compared to persons with relatively more artifacts in their recordings. Incentive as compared to control groups reported an increased ability to sustain their thinking about emotional events. All groups indicated decreased anxiety from pre- to post-feedback conditions. The findings were related to contemporary theory on cognition. The present manuscript is based upon a poster presentation at the American Psychological Society Meetings, July 7, 1990. I wish to express my appreciation to John and Carolyn Stern of Washington University, St. Louis, for their kindness and contagious enthusiasm for research.