Posted by deirdrehbrt on November 2, 2003, at 20:11:36
In reply to I'm ri-ight! I'm ri-ight! They're wro-ong!, posted by Dinah on November 2, 2003, at 19:39:57
Hi Dinah,
I think that you are right in not being schizotypal, but I think that you might have misread the material. The electrical current they are speaking about is created by the device used to measure conductance, it isn't present without the device. Rather, what is being done is this:
Human skin, when an individual is under stress, tends to sweat. Without sweat, skin does not conduct electricity as easily as it does when moistened on the outside by sweat. Sweat contains a good amount of salt, and some other minerals, which is why it is a better conductor than distilled water.
So, to measure conductance, and by so doing, measuring how much a person is sweating, and indirectly, how much stress a person is under, a number of electrodes are placed on the skin. We'll say there are just two. A small current is generated between the two electrodes, and the voltage across the electrodes is measured. If the voltage is low, this means that the skin is conducting electricity well, and is therefore sweating. If the voltage is high, the skin is acting more like a high value resistor, and doesn't conduct well.
As far as feeling like skin is electrified, I get that often. I've always thought it sas hypersensitivity, and it happens when I'm getting a bit manic. It too, is real, and probably a better explanation than actual electricity.
In any event, you're still right.
Dee.
poster:deirdrehbrt
thread:275891
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20031031/msgs/275896.html