Individual differences in heart rate and skin resistance during information processing.

Investigated individual differences in heart rate and skin resistance among 50 male Ss while performing 2 information processing tasks with regard to the personality variables of neuroticism and extraversion. The tasks were (a) pressing different buttons in response to high and low tones and (b) mentally adding certain digits to other digits previously given. Results of the 1st task indicate that the physiological dimensions of variables with average levels of stimulation, size of tonic responses, and amount of spontaneous variability were strongly interrelated, but the relationship of these dimensions to the number of errors and to neuroticism and extraversion was slight. No clear relationship was found between the 2nd task and personality variables. The study refutes the intake-rejection hypothesis formulated by J. I. and B. C. Lacey.