galvanic skin response: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical/Scientific
Quick answer
What does “galvanic skin response” mean?
A change in the electrical resistance of the skin caused by emotional arousal.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A change in the electrical resistance of the skin caused by emotional arousal.
A physiological measure used in psychology and lie detection (polygraphy) that reflects sweating due to autonomic nervous system activity. The term originates from Luigi Galvani's work on bioelectricity.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling remains consistent.
Connotations
Neutral technical term in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both UK and US English, confined to psychology, neuroscience, and forensic science contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “galvanic skin response” in a Sentence
The researchers measured the subject's galvanic skin response.A spike in galvanic skin response indicated arousal.Galvanic skin response is a key component of the polygraph.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “galvanic skin response” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The polygraph will galvanically measure skin response.
- They attempted to galvanise a skin response (Note: different meaning).
American English
- The device galvanically records skin resistance.
- Stimuli are used to elicit a galvanic skin response.
adverb
British English
- The skin responded galvanically to the stimulus. (Rare/technical)
- The signal was measured galvanically.
American English
- The readings were taken galvanically. (Rare/technical)
- The response galvanically indicated deception.
adjective
British English
- The GSR (galvanic skin response) electrodes were attached.
- We observed a galvanic skin response phenomenon.
American English
- The galvanic skin response data was analyzed.
- A galvanic skin response measurement was taken.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Potentially in HR for advanced integrity testing or in market research using biometrics.
Academic
Primary context. Used in psychology, neuroscience, and physiology research papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Most commonly encountered in crime dramas referencing lie detectors.
Technical
Core context. Standard term in psychophysiology, polygraphy, and biometric sensor documentation.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “galvanic skin response”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “galvanic skin response”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “galvanic skin response”
- Using 'galvanic' as a general adjective for 'energetic' or 'shocking' in this context (e.g., 'a galvanic skin reaction to the news').
- Incorrectly pluralising as 'galvanic skins response'.
- Using 'galvanic' without 'skin response' to mean the same thing.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It is a measure of autonomic arousal (e.g., stress, excitement), which can occur for many reasons. While used in lie detection, it is not a direct or infallible measure of deception.
GSR. In modern academic literature, the broader term 'electrodermal activity (EDA)' is often preferred.
Not directly. You might feel your palms get sweaty (the physiological basis for the electrical change), but you cannot perceive the subtle electrical resistance change without specialised equipment.
It is widely used in psychological research on emotion, attention, and conditioning. It's also used in biofeedback therapy, neuromarketing studies, and some wearable fitness trackers to measure stress.
A change in the electrical resistance of the skin caused by emotional arousal.
Galvanic skin response is usually technical/scientific in register.
Galvanic skin response: in British English it is pronounced /ɡælˌvæn.ɪk skɪn rɪˈspɒns/, and in American English it is pronounced /ɡælˌvæn.ɪk skɪn rɪˈspɑːns/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific to this term.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'galvanic' like a 'battery' – it's about electrical activity. Your 'skin response' is like a sweat-based battery meter for your emotions.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE BODY IS A CIRCUIT (where emotion is a current that changes resistance).
Practice
Quiz
What does 'galvanic' in 'galvanic skin response' refer to?