4īy measuring galvanic skin response (as well as other sympathetic responses), we can detect emotional arousal and even the level of arousal. The parasympathetic nervous system regulates “resting and digesting” as well as “feeding and breeding” processes, while the sympathetic system regulates things like blood pressure, heart rate, and galvanic skin response. The autonomic nervous system is further separated into the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems. The body largely handles these and other functions automatically, hence the term “auto” before “nomic.” The autonomic nervous system regulates a wide range of bodily functions, including: So now you know more about what galvanic skin response is and how it can be measured, but why are these measurements important? To answer this question, let’s take a closer look at our autonomic nervous system. According to Edelberg’s widely accepted sweat circuit model, the extent of this increase can be measured by the amount of sweat and number of sweat glands activated. After the sweat is deposited or absorbed by the skin, conductance returns to tonic levels.
Phasic changes can be observed when the skin’s sweat ducts fill in response to a stimulus.
This increase in conductance compared to the baseline can be observed shortly after a subtle stimulus such as a smell, a sound, an image, or a question is introduced. While tonic skin conductance is a baseline measurement, phasic conductance changes are the result of the body responding to external stimuli.
Tonic skin conductance levels also vary based on the person’s psychological state and autonomic regulation at the time the measurement is taken. This conductance level is different for everyone, but it usually ranges from 10 to 50 very small units of conductance called microsiemens. The baseline reading of skin conductance is referred to as tonic conductance. Skin conductance (SC) is a term that’s often used interchangeably with electrodermal activity (EDA) or galvanic skin response (GSR). By applying a constant, unperceived level of voltage to the skin, we can get a baseline reading of the skin’s conductance. The skin in particular is a good conductor of electricity, so even a weak electrical signal introduced to the skin can be measured. We wouldn’t be alive without electricity because body functions are controlled by electrical signals. If your body didn’t conduct electricity, touching a high-voltage fence or sticking a knife in an electric socket would have no effect on you. Your skin, and much of the rest of your body for that matter, conducts electricity. The term may sound a little geeky, but we think it’s pretty exciting, especially when we consider the amazing amount of information it can reveal about an individual. Yet another great thing about the skin is that it responds to changes, or stimuli, in a way that can be accurately measured via galvanic skin response. It acts as a barrier against environmental threats, contains nerve cells that detect changes such as temperature and pressure, can heal itself, and (ideally) keeps your body at a steady 98.6 degrees. It’s not only smooth and often nice to look at, but also helps to regulate many functions of the body. The skin is an amazing and versatile organ.
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