Hemispheric Differences and Electrodermal Asymmetry - Task and Subject Effects

Abstract

As with most areas, bilateral electrodermal activity research raises both empirical and theoretical issues. With respect to the former, a basic assumption of such research is that the tasks used reliably result in differential activation of the cerebral hemispheres, and that resulting responses can be interpreted accordingly. One aspect of this paper will be a challenge to this assumption and presentation of data that illustrates particular difficulties. Further, in the selection of subjects, although some attention is paid to individual differences, by taking note of sex and handedness, it may be that researchers are doing themselves a disservice by ignoring more subtle measures of functional lateralisation. Data will be presented to illustrate this point. Finally, the interpretation of data from such studies has led to the generation of particular models concerning the cortical control of electrodermal activity; the significance of the studies reported here for the formulation of such models will be discussed.