Sensitivity of the eye to 20-cps sine wave stimulation has been compared in 14 normal adults to blood pressure, heart rate, finger volume, galvanic skin resistance, and alpha waves for the four dimensions of resting level, spontaneous activity, autonomic lability, and adaptation. No simple relation seems to exist between phosphene threshold and autonomic functioning. Contrary to expectation, greater autonomic activity (BP and GSR) seems to go with high threshold. It is suggested that the data may be explained in terms of level of anxiety rather than arousal.
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