As a result, the amount of sweat generated due to emotional arousal often goes unnoticed by the person, however, GSR is able to pick up on these microcosms. When exposing someone to an ad campaign or app design, the signals the nervous system gives are much smaller. Skin conductance is an indication of psychological or physiological arousal or, for example, the degree of intensity of your excitement or fear. The sweat produced on your hands and feet is triggered through emotional arousal, and as we all know itвЂ™s emotion that drives action so exploring this through GSR is a valuable tool for analysis and insight. This change in skin conductance is generally termed Galvanic Skin Response (GSR). By changing the balance of positive and negative ions in the moisture that is created, electrical current flows more easily, resulting in measurable changes in skin conductance. Once sweat glands are active, they produce moisture through pores towards the skin surface. The areas where sweat glands are most active varies, the highest being on the forehead and cheeks, the palms and fingers as well as on the sole of the feet. Our body has about three million sweat glands. The sweating on hands is triggered by emotional arousal, meaning whenever we are emotionally engaged, the GSR data shows unique patterns reflecting this level of engagement. GSR bases these measurements on electrodermal activity which derives from the involuntary activation of sweat glands in the skin. This technology allows us to measure the levels of emotional arousal whether thatвЂ™s unbridled joy or creeping fear. We can learn so much more about the triggers that cause this response through Galvanic Skin Response (GSR).

Our skin can reveal a great deal of how we are feeling at any given moment when exposed to emotionally loaded images, videos, or other kinds of stimuli вЂ“ both positive and negative. Ever get nervous before a first date or a big client presentation? Cue the sweaty palms.

Galvanic skin response psychology