Abstract
Heart rate, skin potential, and response latency were studied in relation to the recognition and solution of problems by 18 high-school students. A continuous series of rule-induction problems was presented without any pause between problems. The problems were sequentially related in that each new problem demanded a refinement of the rule just induced for the preceding problem. Increases in skin potential and response latency occurred when new problems were introduced, and decreases in the same measures were found when they were solved. Heart rate was not indicative of recognition or solution of problems. When events during trials—stimulus, response, feedback-were looked at separately, the events of stimulus onset and response were associated with significant increases at recognition. Only the feedback event was associated with a significant decrease at solution. It was suggested that these changes indicate a labile state during which problem solving occurs.
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Elias, M.F. Heart rate, skin potential response, and latency of overt response, as indicators of problem recognition and solution. Psychon Sci 18, 337–339 (1970). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03332386
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03332386