Influence of ambient temperature on tonic and phasic electrodermal activity components

Abstract

Objective. Electrodermal activity (EDA) is a reliable indicator for variations in the skin electrical properties attributed to sympathetic nerve system activity. EDA recordings can be influenced by various internal and external factors including environmental ones. Ambient temperature can be considered as one of the possible factors which might influence EDA recordings. Hence, this study aimed to precisely investigate influence of ambient temperature on tonic and phasic EDA components by employing a new EDA measurement technique, which depends on simultaneously recording of several EDA parameters. Approach. Tonic and phasic EDA components during three different ambient temperature levels were recorded from 36 healthy participants. In addition, for evoking electrodermal responses, participants were exposed to cognitive, visual and breathing external stimuli. Main results. Significant effects of temperature on tonic skin conductance (SC), skin susceptance (SS) and skin potential (SP) were obtained, whereas such significant effects were not observed with phasic SC, SS and SP. Tonic EDA parameters were increased as a function of temperature, but changes in phasic component were fluctuating. Significance. This should mean that, keeping recording of tonic EDA component in normal room temperature is highly crucial, but for recording or analysis of phasic component it is not important as they are more robust in this context. This is important in applications of EDA instruments, particularly in wearable devices where environmental temperature typically cannot be controlled.