Physiological Measures

Question 1

What is SCR?

Answer 1

Skin conductance response which measures the skins resistance to electricity

Question 2

What happens when an individual is stressed?

Answer 2

They sweat and this increases the skins ability to conduct electricity, individuals have higher SCR when stressed

Question 3

How are SCR readings measured?

Answer 3

Through use of a polygraph, ‘lie detector’

Question 4

What does a polygraph record?

Answer 4

Physiological measures such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration as well as SCR

Question 5

What did Khalfa et al do?

Answer 5

Played different types of music to spruce the emotions of fear, happiness, sadness and peacefulness and measured their reactions using SCR readings

Question 6

What did Khalfa et al find?

Answer 6

Readings were greatest for fear and happiness, this suggests that SCR readings can measure stress levels but cannot differentiate stress from other different emotional reactions

Question 7

What are 3 evaluation points?

Answer 7

• More expensive than questionnaires
• Could be affected by external factors
• Lacks reliability