Viewing sexual images is associated with reduced physiological arousal response to gambling loss

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of trait anxiety and stressor intensity on arousal and motor performance during a pinch task. We examined the steadiness of a precision task in the presence and absence of an imposed stressor on subjects with moderate and low trait anxiety. Subjects with the 26 highest and 14 lowest anxiety scores were assigned to one of three groups: a control group (5 women, 5 men), a moderate-anxiety group (8 women, 8 men), or a low-anxiety group (7 women, 7 men). Subjects in the anxiety groups received electric shocks and experienced significant increases in cognitive and physiological arousal compared with baseline and control subjects, especially subjects in the moderate-anxiety group. Heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and electrodermal activity were elevated during the stressor, whereas diastolic blood pressure was unchanged. Cognitive and physiological arousal tended to increase with stressor intensity and was accompanied by changes in steadiness. Although steadiness was markedly reduced with the highest intensity of shock, the average electromyogram activity was unaffected by the stressor. These findings indicate that the increase in arousal and the impairment of steadiness increased with trait anxiety and with the intensity of the noxious stimulus.

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Activation of the arousal response can impair performance on a simple motor task

Journal of Applied Physiology ◽

10.1152/jappl.2001.91.2.821 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 91 (2) ◽

pp. 821-831 ◽

Cited By ~ 62

Author(s):

J. Timothy Noteboom ◽

Monika Fleshner ◽

Roger M. Enoka

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Electrodermal Activity ◽

Motor Task ◽

Physiological Arousal ◽

Control Group ◽

Pinch Grip ◽

Simple Motor ◽

Simple Motor Task ◽

Arousal Response ◽

The Moment

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of arousal in men and women on the moment-to-moment performance of a simple motor task. We examined the control of a precision task in the presence and absence of imposed stressors. Twenty-nine subjects (14 men, 15 women; 18–44 yr) were randomly assigned to either a control group or one of two stressor groups, Mental Math or Electric Shock. Subjects presented with Math and Shock stressors, which lasted 10 min, experienced significant increases in cognitive and physiological arousal compared with baseline and control subjects. Heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and electrodermal activity were elevated 5–80% with presentation of the stressors, whereas diastolic blood pressure and salivary cortisol were unchanged. The greater levels of cognitive and physiological arousal were associated with reductions in steadiness of a pinch grip for the Shock subjects (∼130% reduction from baseline) but not for the subjects in the Math group, who experienced heightened arousal but no change in steadiness (10% reduction from baseline). Although women exhibited more of a reduction in steadiness than men, the effect was largely unrelated to the magnitude of the change in arousal.

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Form Pleasantness: Arousal Processing or Arousal Pick-up?

Perceptual and Motor Skills ◽

10.2466/pms.1987.64.1.203 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 64 (1) ◽

pp. 203-216

Author(s):

G. J. F. Smets ◽

C. J. Overbeeke

Keyword(s):

Direct Effect ◽

Cognitive Processing ◽

Visual Stimuli ◽

Physiological Arousal ◽

Direct Result ◽

Pleasantness Rating ◽

Arousal Theory ◽

Cognitive Arousal ◽

Arousal Response ◽

Indirect Information

In what way is physiological arousal implicated in form pleasantness? Does form pleasantness necessarily imply cognitive processing of the arousal response to the visual stimuli? Or can the physiological arousal response also have a direct effect on it? This problem has scientific relevance since it contributes to the settlement of two debates of a similar nature: one between two rival theories of perception and one between two rival theories of emotion. The two theories of perception are the indirect information-processing one as stated by Fodor and Pylyshyn in 1981 versus the direct information pick-up viewpoint as stated by Turvey, Shaw, Reed, and Mace in 1981. The two theories of emotion are the indirect cognition-arousal theory which begins with Schachter in 1964 versus the view that emotions can be the direct result of purely somatic arousal and emotion patterns as stated both by Zajonc and Leventhal in 1984. This is explained in the first part of the article. The second part describes an experiment on the conflicting consequences of these two approaches (the indirect, cognitive and the direct sensory-motor). An inverted U-shaped relation between the arousal potential of visual stimuli and the pleasantness rating of those stimuli is usually found. If the supporters of the direct theories are right, this will always be so however much one tries to manipulate arousal processing. If, on the other hand the cognitivists are right, it would be indeed possible to manipulate the curve. This can be done, for example, by giving the subject bogus feedback relating to his physiological arousal in response to the visual stimuli, under well controlled conditions. This is a much used procedure in the cognitive-arousal theory of emotion. According to the results of the present experiment, this manipulation does not affect the inverted U-shaped relation between the arousal potential of visual stimuli and their pleasantness rating. A direct effect of physiological arousal on form pleasantness appears plausible.

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Mapping of electrodermal activity (EDA) during outdoor community-level mobility tasks in individuals with lower-limb amputation

Journal of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies Engineering ◽

10.1177/20556683211006837 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

pp. 205566832110068

Author(s):

Erina Cho ◽

James M Wakeling ◽

Brittany Pousett ◽

Courtney L Pollock

Keyword(s):

Lower Limb ◽

Electrodermal Activity ◽

Physiological Arousal ◽

Lower Limb Amputation ◽

Limb Amputation ◽

Specific Response ◽

Outdoor Walking ◽

Arousal Response ◽

Gps System ◽

System Mapping

Introduction Balance confidence and perception of task challenge is an important construct to measure in rehabilitation of people with lower-limb amputation (LLA). Measurement of electrodermal activity (EDA) captures physiological arousal responses reflecting an individual’s perceived challenge in a task. This study explores the feasibility of the use of EDA during outdoor walking tasks to capture task-specific physiological arousal changes associated with perception of challenge in people with amputation. Objective To develop and demonstrate feasibility of a portable EDA/GPS system mapping physiological arousal while challenging walking balance outdoors in individuals with LLA and controls. Methods Sixteen people (eight with LLA and eight age-/sex-matched controls) completed an outdoor walking course in the community (3 laps). A battery-powered portable device was developed containing EDA/GPS sensors with data logged on a microcontroller. Phasic EDA response was extracted from EDA signal to explore the physiological arousal response to walking tasks. Results Physiological arousal demonstrated task-specific modulation with ascending stairs without a handrail showing higher levels of phasic EDA than walking on a paved incline (p = 0.01) or a gravel decline (p = 0.01) in people with LLA. While evidence of habituation over repeated trials was shown in controls with lap 1 of walking down a gravel decline showing higher levels of phasic EDA than lap 3 (p = 0.01). Phasic EDA maps, representative of arousal levels throughout the walking course, showed individual-specific response. Conclusion Mapping of EDA during outdoor walking is feasible. Modulation of physiological arousal between outdoor walking tasks and over repeated trials is suggestive of clinical utility. Further research is warranted to explore how EDA may be incorporated into assessment of response to outdoor walking amongst individuals following LLA.

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