The purpose of this study was to compare gradients of skin resistance (SR) and skin potential (SP) responses generated by differing degrees of psychologically disturbing stimuli, and to determine the significance of the different wave forms of skin potential. SR and SP were simultaneously recorded during a word‐association test that included three levels of psychologically disturbing verbal stimuli. In addition to the a and b waves of the SP response, a second negative wave form, a2, was recorded. SR and all SP wave forms yielded positive gradients as a function of increasing stimulus intensity. Gradients based upon SR and total SP were close to identical. Magnitude measures, which include zero responses, of the SP wave forms yielded steeper gradients than measures of amplitude or frequency. The relative contribution of different SP wave forms to total SP varied with stimulus level.