Bilateral Skin Conductance and Skin Potential in Schizophrenic and Normal Subjects: The Identification of the Fast Habituator Group of Schizophrenics

Abstract

ABSTRACT Chronic schizophrenics from three different hospitals were compared to normal subjects on skin conductance parameters. In addition to “Responders” and “Nonresponders” as reported by Gruzelier and Venables (1972), a group of “Fast Habituator” schizophrenics was found. These subjects produce one or at most two responses before habituation in an orienting series. The SC waveform of fast habituator subjects shows long latency, slow risetime and long recovery, although the amplitude of response is within normal limits.