Site, State, and Subject Characteristics of Palmar Skin Potential Levels

Abstract

ABSTRACT Palmar skin potential levels (SPLs) were recorded with Ag/AgCl electrodes and 0.5% KCl, in two degrees of relaxation, simultaneously from eight finger sites of 20 habituated and 20 non‐habituated male subjects. The SPLs were examined by analyses of variance computed with right/left, and dominant/non‐dominant distributions of hand data. There were significant finger site differences in all conditions; significant hand differences were observable only with greater relaxation, i.e. to ‘basal’ levels of SP, and only with the dominant/non‐dominant distribution of data. There was evidence of significant interactions implicating the habituation factor. The results are interpreted in terms of the balance of sweat gland and non‐sudorific contributions to the generation of palmar SPL.