The Skin Conductance Response, Anticipation, and Decision-Making

This paper is concerned with the effective use of the skin conductance response (SCR) in studies involving decision-making. General guidelines for the measurement and quantification of the SCR are briefly described. Cortical and subcortical mechanisms involved in the expression of the SCR are identi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of neuroscience, psychology, and economics psychology, and economics, 2011-05, Vol.4 (2), p.111-116
Main Authors: Dawson, Michael E, Schell, Anne M, Courtney, Christopher G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Conditioning
Decision Making
Expectations
Skin Resistance
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Summary:This paper is concerned with the effective use of the skin conductance response (SCR) in studies involving decision-making. General guidelines for the measurement and quantification of the SCR are briefly described. Cortical and subcortical mechanisms involved in the expression of the SCR are identified in relation to decision-making and related cognitive processes. Finally, literature related to decision-making that utilizes the SCR is reviewed. Specifically, studies involving the Iowa Gambling Task and aversive classical conditioning are drawn upon to determine how the anticipatory SCR relates to the process of decision-making. The roles of conscious and nonconscious cognitive processes in the gambling task and the conditioning paradigm are examined. It is concluded that the SCR is an easily recordable, nonverbal, nonvoluntary, unobtrusive measure of anticipation of significant outcomes, particularly aversive ones, that is related to decision-making.
ISSN:1937-321X
2151-318X
DOI:10.1037/a0022619