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skin resistance

the opposition of the skin to the passage of an electric current. This electrodermal property is measured by applying a small external charge (e.g., 1.0 V) across two electrodes placed at different points on the palm, hand, or other area and recording how much of the current passes between the electrodes; the measurement is then converted into micro-ohms (or microamperes) to provide the degree to which the skin resists the flow of electricity. The baseline or minimum level of electrical skin resistance in an individual in a resting state is called basal skin resistance. Sometimes used in research as a physiological marker of arousal, and more controversially in polygraph examinations as a manifestation of deception and various emotional states, skin resistance is the reciprocal of skin conductance. See also galvanic skin response.

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