On Certain Electrical Processes in the Human Body and Their Relation to Emotional Reactions (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

Frederic Lyman Wells

9780266780410: On Certain Electrical Processes in the Human Body and Their Relation to Emotional Reactions (Classic Reprint)

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ISBN 10: 0266780415 ISBN 13: 9780266780410

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2018

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Excerpt from On Certain Electrical Processes in the Human Body and Their Relation to Emotional Reactions

To study the inﬂuence of resistance changes, the second method was used, namely, the introduction into the circuit of the Gordon cell in series with the body and the galvanometer. Owing to the magnitude of the current, the sensitivity of the galvanometer was reduced one hundred-fold by means of the shunt. As stated above, the deﬂections thus caused ranged generally between 500 and 600 m. If a series of word stimuli was then tried, the deﬂections which resulted invariably consisted in an increase in the initial deﬂection. Their average magnitude was between 10 and 20 mm. And they rarely exceeded 60 mm.; thus the maximum deﬂections indicated an increase of about 10 per cent. In the current passing through the body. At first sight it might appear that here also the deﬂections are due to electrical potential in the hands augmenting the current of the cell, but the fact that the deﬂections here are all in one direc tion, while with isopotential electrodes they may be in either, is much against it. Furthermore, a little quantitative study shows that a difierence of potential of the magnitude detected with iso potential electrodes could not possibly produce such large deﬂec tions as are seen with the cell current. The galvanometer being at 01 of its full sensitivity which is employed with isopotential elec trodes, it would require 100 times as much e.m.f. To produce a given deﬂection as it does to produce the same deﬂection at full sensitiv ity, and yet the deﬂections in the two cases are found to be of about the same magnitude. With isopotential electrodes and the galvan ometer at full sensitivity, the deﬂections following stimuli rarely exceed 100 mm. It would require 30 times the e.m.f. Which this indicates to produce a change of 30 mm. With the sensitivity re duced, and yet 30 mm. Is by no means an infrequent deﬂection with the Gordon cell. It follows from this that electro-motive changes can not account for the deﬂections observed when a strong outside current is used. In short, emotional reactions are accompanied both by changes in the difierence of potential between the immersed fingers and by changes in the resistance of the body.

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