Sex differences in latencies of bilateral electrodermal responses

Skin conductance responses to visual sexual stimuli

“…We failed to find a SCR lateralization in females to all the three stimulus contents, which is in contradiction with studies showing larger right SCRs in females to a variety of tasks, including rest periods Miossec et al, 1986;Roman et al, 1987), although this contradiction is not as stark as in men, as Roman et al (1989) failed to find SCR lateralization to cognitive and stimulus-free tasks, and Rippon (1990) in a very small sample observed larger left SCRs during cognitive tasks. However, this absence of lateralization in women almost disappeared after controlling for level of sexual arousal, as the interaction between laterality and stimulus content became close to statistical significance.…”

“…Such direction of asymmetry is in stark contradiction with previous findings showing that males have larger left SCRs to a variety of tasks Miossec et al, 1986;Rippon, 1990;Roman et al, 1987). Women showed no lateralized SCR pattern, which is also in contradiction with a majority of studies demonstrating that females have larger right SCRs Miossec et al, 1986;Roman et al, 1987). One possible explanation for these conflicting findings is that sexual arousal influenced the pattern of SCR laterality.…”

“…On the other hand, previous research has shown that the direction of SCR asymmetry remains constant, independently of task, even when the tasks are intended to activate a specific hemisphere Miossec et al, 1986;Rippon, 1990;Roman et al, 1987Roman et al, , 1989. Thus, according to the constant direction hypothesis, it is expected that the direction of SCR asymmetry remains constant independently of stimulus content.…”

“…Besides the constant direction of asymmetry, SCRs have been found to be larger on the left hand for males and larger on the right hand for females Miossec et al, 1986;Roman et al, 1987). However, Rippon (1990) found larger left SCRs in both sexes and Roman et al (1989) failed to found sex differences.…”