Relative Effects of Bogus Physiological Feedback and Control Stimuli on Autonomic and Self Report Indicants of Emotional Attribution

Abstract

The present investigation examined the relative effects of an auditory feedback stimulus as a bogus physiological indicant and as a sound stimulus per se, on physiological and verbal report measures of emotional attribution. Thirty-six male subjects, divided into high and low resting arousal and high and low anxiety, viewed 10 slides of pinups while hearing continuous auditory tones. Results showed that an increase in tone rate elicited greater self reports of slide pleasantness than a no change in tone rate. In addition, there were no differential effects of bogus feed back and sound control on electrodermal activity or on self reports of pleasantness. The need for appropriate control groups in bogus physiologi cal feedback paradigms was discussed.

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