Variations of the Orienting Response in Learning-Disabled Children

Abstract

The present chapter was undertaken to investigate further the varying levels of physiological arousal (PA). The initial concern was the establishment of a reliable index of PA. Electrodermal measures are accepted as good indicants of PA, and the most widely used index has been the galvanic skin response (GSR). The purpose of the chapter is to explore the possibility of obtaining a unitary index of PA using several components of the GSR and to identify the GSR components that best discriminate between levels of PA. The subjects were individually tested in a soundproof and electrically shielded room; an adjoining room housed the polygraph and stimulus-presentation devices. An aspect of current research to which these results have a direct relationship is the view that some hyperactive children are physiologically underaroused. Not all hyperactive children respond positively to stimulant medication.