What Is Galvanic Skin Response (GSR)?

galvanic skin response electrodes-wrapped around fingersTo understand galvanic skin response (GSR) technology, you must review the physiological properties of the biggest organ of the body – the skin. It is smooth to touch and lovely on the eye, but it also assists in regulating various bodily functions.

The response is mediated by the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for regulating bodily functions such as heart rate, breathing, and digestion. The sympathetic nervous system activates sweat glands in the skin, leading to an increase in skin conductance and a measurable change in GSR.

It acts as the primary interface between the environment and the organism. Alongside other organs in the body, it manages bodily functions like sensing and perception, basal temperature, and the immune system.

Sensing & PerceptionHuman skin is sensory. It consists of an expansive network of nerve cells that perceive and transmit environmental changes based on the actions of receptors for pain, pressure, and temperature.

Thermo-Regulation Human skin manages body temperature by controlling peripheral blood circulation, sweat secretion, and piloerection (goose pimples or goosebumps). Ideally, it maintains your body at a constant 98.6 degrees.

Immune SystemHuman skin acts as a protective wall separating the body from the external surroundings and dangers – chemical agents, radiation, mechanical pressure and impacts, micro-organisms, and temperature variations. With a robust immune system, the skin can heal itself.

The human body consists of around 3 million sweat glands. This density contrasts markedly throughout the body, highly concentrated on the cheeks, forehead, fingers, palms, and feet. When sweat glands are elicited, they become more functional and stress by exuding moisture through the skin.

By adjusting the balance of negative and positive ions in the secreted liquid, electrical current can flow more easily, leading to detectable electrodermal response variations. Increased skin conductance = decreased skin resistance. GSR measurements can vary across individuals due to individual differences in electrical conductance of the skin and sweat gland activity.

This variation in skin conductance is referred to as Galvanic Skin Response (GSR). Skin conductance is modulated autonomously by sympathetic activity, which drives aspects of human behavior, as well as cognitive and emotional states

How does it function?

Galvanic skin response sensor devices go by many names, including skin conductance response (SCR), skin conductance level (SCL), electrodermal level (EDL), electrodermal activity (EDA), or electrodermal response (EDR). This scientific phenomenon generally happens when the system is kindled following a stimulus. It’s usually a measuring of somebody’s mental state intensity, also called emotional arousal. Arousal refers to complete activation and is one of the primary dimensions of an emotional reaction.

Although skin conductance is not under conscious control, it can be modulated by biofeedback training, which enables individuals to gain voluntary control over their physiological responses. Biofeedback training can enable individuals to gain voluntary control over their GSR and its central correlates.

The full degree of emotional arousal varies depending on the environment one is in – if you find something joyful, sad, threatening, scary, or even emotionally pertinent, then the ensuing difference in emotional response increases activity.

It’s worth noting that both negative (‘sad’ or ‘threatened’) and positive (‘joyful’ or ‘happy’) stimuli can lead to emotional arousal, which can, in turn, raise skin conductivity.

Although excretion plays a significant role in sensory discrimination and thermoregulation, fluctuations in skin conductance can activate by an emotional stimulus: the arousal levels directly correspond to the skin conductance.

The concentration of eccrine sweat glands greatly varies throughout the body but can be found in large amounts in the foot and hand areas.

The conscious cannot control excretion and other alterations affiliated with skin conductance. They moderate through sympathetic control, which influences a certain product of human behavior and emotional and cognitive states.

Sympathetic clinical activity is linked with bodily autonomic functions like increased blood pressure, heart rate, and sweating. Skin conductance provides an easy understanding of autonomous emotional regulation.

What You Should Know

GSR is typically measured by applying a small electric current between two electrodes placed on the skin. Given how GSR measurements function by sensing the variations in activity arising from fluctuations in the amount of sweat gland activity, the electrodes placed on the skin’s surface must be responsive to these fluctuations and capable of relaying the acquired data to the recording machine.

Many contemporary GSR electrodes have a silver-chloride (Ag/AgCl) connection point that engages with the skin. Ag/AgCl electrodes are sought-after because they are robust, inexpensive, and safe for humans. Most importantly, they can accurately relay the signal resulting from the electrical(ionic) activity.

Other electrodes work with ionic gel that can enhance the reliability of the signal, or ionic gel can directly be applied to the skin’s surface to attain the same effect. The signal transmits via the electrode to the lead wire that transports the data to the galvanic skin response machine.

Various clinical GSR sensors support varying transmission mediums, and the choice of which device to acquire for your practice depends on the type of analysis you’re doing, your studies, and your patients.




What Is Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) Measuring?

The skin conductance baseline level is known as tonic conductance. The EDA (Electrodermal Activity)varies for everybody but is often between 10 – 50 tiny packets of conductance called microsiemens. Tonic skin conductance readings also differ depending on the individual’s psychological condition.

Although tonic conductance is a standard reading, phasic conductance amplitudes and latency result from the body reacting to stimuli.

Phasic fluctuations can be detected when the sweat ducts of the skin fill in following a stimulus. When sweat is absorbed or accumulated by the skin, conductance reverts to tonic levels. When there are considerable variations in GSR functionality following a stimulus, this phenomenon is called an Event-Related Skin Conductance Response (ER-SCR). Such reactions, also called GSR peaks, can offer valuable resources concerning emotional stimulation.

By using conductance measurements, or GSR peaks, adding quantitative information to emotional stimulation research becomes easier. With digital information and data systems, uncovering new protocols for your patients becomes possible.

The intensity of emotional stimulation can be detected by galvanic skin response (along with other sympathetic responses). It is noteworthy because its data is obtained directly from inside the body. Thus, the measured readings acquired are unbiased at how the body responds when exposed to certain stimuli.

Since consciousness filters the thoughts one has, it’s challenging to accurately determine what’s going on inside the body. With GSR, you can circumvent these filters and determine the body’s response with high precision.

Potential Applications for EDA (Electrodermal Activity)

There are many potential applications of GSR. It can be used to detect stress, anxiety, and other emotions. Additionally, GSR is a measure of your physiological response to emotional stimuli. GSR has some unique benefits that set it apart from the competition.

The Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) is a measure of your physiological response to both external and internal stimuli. Phasic activity can be detected in the GSR when the sweat ducts of the skin fill in following a stimulus.

For one thing, it is quite reliable in measuring various emotional responses. Secondly, GSR measures changes over time, making it valuable when gauging long-term changes or trends.

What About The Conductance Electrode?

GSR electrodes come in different forms – like watches, bracelets, and patch sensors. Many types of galvanic skin response sensors are available on the market, each with its capabilities. The most commonly used include conductivity, capacitance, and resistance. All these have their respective advantages and disadvantages which should be considered.

Potential Applications of GSR

For one thing, it is quite reliable in measuring various emotional responses. Secondly, the GSR signal changes over time, making it valuable when gauging long-term changes or trends.

Why Use Galvanic Skin Response?

There are many reasons to use galvanic skin response. The most common reason is to measure stress levels. Stress can have a significant impact on our health and well-being, so it is important to be able to measure it effectively. Additionally, GSR can be used to detect other emotions, such as anxiety or excitement. GSR can also be used to monitor physiological responses to emotional stimuli. The information can be used in a variety of ways, such as helping to assess stress-related conditions or determining the effectiveness of outcomes.

Telling The Truth

lie detector test

The most renowned galvanic skin response sensor device in history is the lie detector examination, officially referred to as the polygraph machine. Other than gauging blood pressure, nervousness, respiration rate, and heart rate, the polygraph machine gauges GSR responses as questions keep going on. A trained polygrapher is qualified to study the reactions to the questions.

First off, the company polygrapher will ask a number of obvious questions designed to be either false or true throughout the term, like “Do you live in this state?” to determine a baseline measurement. Additional questions are asked and measured to contrast with the base reading to establish if the individual is telling the truth.

Other applications of GSR enable you to determine how your patient’s body responds free of interference from conscious filters. It is an effective method for determining exactly how the body changes when exposed to certain stimuli.

Stress Management

Managing stress can be done in many ways, including exercising, meditation, and taking supplements. However, by understanding your GSR, you can take even more control over your stress level and have a more positive outlook on life.

By tracking your GSR, you can determine your stress level and take the necessary steps to reduce it. It will help improve your overall wellness and reduce adverse health effects. Additionally, managing stress can improve your moods, making it easier to tackle daily life challenges with a positive attitude.

In one study, GSR was found to be a good predictor of how well people would do on a test given under high-stress circumstances. The study showed that those with lower galvanic skin response were likelier to do well than those with higher galvanic skin response. This suggests that those who are able to control their stress level may be better equipped to handle difficult situations.

How accurate is galvanic skin response?

GSR is believed to be an accurate measure of physiological arousal and can be used to indicate an emotional state such as fear, anger, or excitement. GSR has been found to have a positive correlation with other measures of physiological arousal, such as heart rate and respiration rate, suggesting it is a reliable measure.

Advantages Of GSR And Biofeedback

Galvanic skin response, along with other similar readings, falls under Biofeedback. Devices that collect biofeedback data can assist you in gaining a greater analysis of the body’s physiological happenings. The concept behind the Biofeedback service is that by monitoring the responses, people can train themselves to address their sympathetic responses.

The most crucial thing to note with Biofeedback technology is that it needs mental engagement and participation. You can think of biofeedback pain management as a training process instead of therapy that assists your patients in having a better understanding of their health issues, which can subsequently increase their coping ability and work on their well-being.

BioScan Uses Galvanic Skin Response

With minimal cleanup and prep times, a computer system used to measure conductivity is non-intrusive as the procedure is as easy as placing two electrodes on the skin’s surface. The product makes taking GSR measurements more efficient and comfortable for patients than other techniques.

You can detect and scan the skin’s ionic stress activity against a full range of psychological or physiological signals in real-time. Combine several data streams and apply digital computations with the software to detect connections between emotional or physical stimuli and conductance stimulation levels.

 

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