Abstract
Skin conductance and intensity of verbal responses were recorded while Ss performed reaction time and mental arithmetic tasks under high- and low-incentive conditions. Changes in external incentives for task performance produced no significant changes in recovery rate of skin conductance responses but led to responses of significantly greater amplitude. However, the percent change from rest-period responses produced by task performance was much greater in the case of recovery rate than in the case of amplitude. Changes in recovery rate were also not related to the intensity of verbal response associated with task performance. The slowing of recovery rate found during a timed arithmetic task appears to reflect a defensive response and is consistent with previous findings of a slowing of recovery rate in response to threat.
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