This study examined the hypothesis that schizophrenics would generalize a conditioned GSR response relatively more to the homonym of a CS and relatively less to the synonym than normals. The specific prediction was that the difference in the magnitude of response to synonyms and homonyms (Rs -RB) would be greater for normals than for schizophrenics. The Ss were 16 normals and 16 chronic schizophrenics. The synonyms elicited a larger response than the homonyms with the majority of normal Ss. The opposite results were obtained with the schizophrenics. An analysis of variance clearly supported the hypothesized interaction between the "normal-schizophrenic" variable and generalization to synonyms and homonyms.This study evaluates the relative strength of semantic and phonetic generalization of the GSR in normal and schizophrenic individuals. * .10 > p > .OS, one tailed test. ** p < .05. *•** p < .005.

A significant interaction between degree of efficiency in reaction time and in meeting task requirements in the GSR conditioning situation was found, such that efficient Ss tended to take longer to reach criterion under instructions to relax, while there was no difference between the groups when the requirement was to solve a problem. Under the relax instructions the correlation of right-to left-arm tension with trials to 2 successive CRs was .60; under problem instructions it was -.04. Taken together with the previous studies, these results are interpreted as support for the method of analysis implied by the concept of efficiency. They prepare the way for further tests of the hypothesis that efficiency will be related to degrees of psychopathology.

This study tests the hypothesis that type of generalization (synonyms vs. homophones) is a function of set induced by instructions (semantic, phonic, or ambiguous) and of type of US (shock vs. buzzer) used in the original conditioning procedure. The GSR of 96 Ss was conditioned to a word (CS) under the appropriate experimental conditions and tested subsequently for generalization to a synonym and homophone of the CS. The influence of set on type of generalization was clearly demonstrated, but there was no effect of type of US. These results are related to previous studies and to the concept of psychological efficiency.

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