Detection of Information and GSR Habituation: An Attempt to Derive Detection Efficiency From Two Habituation Curves

The study attempts to describe the detection of information paradigm, based on differential GSR reactivity in terms of basic habituation processes. Two GSR habituation curves, for relevant and neutral stimuli, were generated rated on a sample of 83 Ss. Relevant and neutral stimuli exhibited similar habituation curves, From these two habituation curves it was possible to predict in a meaningful fashion the characteristics of standard information detection experiments using a notion of dichotomization. This notion refers to separate habituation processes for the relevant and neutral stimulus categories. The predictions were tested on an additional sample of 102 Ss. It was found that without additional assumptions it was possible to predict, at least the order, of the efficiencies of detection in various information detection tasks. In light of the present results, consideration was given to Sokolov's concept of “signal value.”