What is GSR??

Here we discuss another interesting biometric research method, galvanic skin response, or GSR.

Galvanic skin response, which goes by several other names, is a way of measuring the electric conductance of a person’s skin. For some time, this process has been used both in research and in treatment. However, it’s rare for GSR to be the sole tool employed in either research or treatment, for it works best when combined with other biometrics.

GSR actually falls short when used alone. There are a few reasons for this. First, the technology cannot tell what causes a subject to experience an emotion. Second, it can’t measure which emotion the subject is experiencing. Because of these inadequacies, professionals use other biometric measuring devices and processes to paint a more complete picture during the research or treatment process. The biometric methods most often seen paired with GSR are eye tracking and brainwave measuring.

GSR with Eye Tracking

Often, eye tracking is used in conjunction with EEG in advanced marketing research. However, GSR can serve the same purpose as an EEG when coupled with eye tracking biometric devices. Galvanic skin response cannot tell researchers a precise emotion in a subject, but eye tracking may be able to use context to fill in the blanks. Eye tracking can also help researchers understand what the subject was looking at when the response occurred. Combining these two technologies allows GSR to fill in the data blanks for eye tracking and vice versa.

GSR with Brain Wave Measurement 

The electric conductance measured using GSR is a byproduct of the functions of the sympathetic nervous system, which is one of the three components belonging to the automatic nervous system. Of course, however, GSR doesn’t measure the activity of the brain itself, so researchers often include brain wave measurements in conjunction with GSR to make specific determinations. The brain wave measuring technology can determine which part of the brain is activated when the GSR puts out certain data. Usually, the brain wave data is collected via fMRI or EEG machines. When combined with GSR, these technologies can also measure the sleeping brain’s workload and the cognitive workload.

Heart rate, respiration, and muscle activity are also helpful biometric indicators that may be used together with GSR. However, these indicators may actually be put to better use if employed in conjunction with the combinations discussed above. When combined, these advanced technologies can provide a good deal of solid evidence from marketing studies to help researchers better understand participants’ subconscious responses to a variety of stimuli, from packaging to advertisements.