Electrodermal and personality correlates of perceptual activity and psychological stress

An experiment by Kilpatrick, in which tonic and phasic measures of electrodermal activity were shown to diverge as a function of psychological stress and cognitive activity, was replicated, using a perceptual task. Sixteen high ego strength subjects and 16 low ego strength subjects were evenly divided into high stress and low stress groups. The high stress group was given ego-threatening instructions, while the low stress group was given neutral instructions. All subjects then performed on a perceptual task, the Witkin Embedded Figures. Electrodermal activity was monitored throughout the experiment. On the basis of their performance on the task, subjects were divided Into Field Independent- Field Dependent groups. Three hypotheses were tested: (1) Tonic responsivity is related to non-emotional or perceptual tasks, while phasic responsivity Is related to the emotional reaction to psychological threat. (2) High ego strength subjects are more responsive in both tonic and phasic activity than are low ego strength subjects. (3) Field Independent subjects are more responsive in both tonic and phasic activity than are Field Dependent subjects. None of these hypotheses were confirmed.