Bilateral Eda Measurement of Females During Simple and Complex Listening Tasks

The present study sought to measure hemispheric response to positive, negative and neutral stimuli using a dichotic listening paradigm. Subjects were required to attend to either their right or left ear to enhance any potential hemispheric asymmetry that might occur during emotional processing. Measurement of bilateral EDA was conducted while subjects were presented positive, negative and neutral stimuli both dichotically and binaurally. Twelve subjects met the research criteria and their responses were used in the analyses. A 2x2x2x2x5 mixed model ANOVA was conducted. Significant main effects for Trial, Ear Attention and Stimuli were found as well as a significant interaction (EDA Response x Ear Attention). The significant main effect for Trial was due to decrease in mean EDA response in trial 2 when compared to trial 1 (i.e., habituation). The mean EDA response to the neutral stimulus was significantly lower than the mean EDA response to the emotional stimuli. EDA response when attention was directed to the right ear was significantly higher than when attention was directed to the left ear. In the interaction, a significant increase in right hand EDA was associated with attention being directed to the right ear in relation to the left ear attention response, while there was no comparable change in left-hand EDA. The results replicate significant portions of Meyers and Smith (1986) study as well as provide some potentially important new findings. Results are discussed in relationship to current models of emotional processing and goals of future research are outlined.