Abstract
Heart rate and skin conductance were recorded from human Ss while they listened to a mixed series of two tone stimuli. Ss were required either to count or to give a motor response to one stimulus (the signal stimulus) and to ignore the other stimulus. Skin conductance responses were larger for signal stimuli than for ignore stimuli, and the motor response Ss gave larger responses than the counting Ss, for both types of stimuli. The accelerative component of the heart rate response was greater for signal stimuli, and this finding, together with those findings from reaction time studies, is discussed in relation to the conceptual distinction between imperative and warning stimuli.
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This research was supported by a grant from the University of Illinois Research Board.
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Colest, M.G.H., Sosdian, B.J. & Isaacson, I.J. Heart rate and skin conductance responses to signal and nonsignal stimuli. Psychon Sci 29, 23–24 (1972). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03336554
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03336554