A Group Test of Palmar Sweat

An experimental analog of public speaking.

“…Two measures were selected to estimate the response to the public speaking situation. The physiological measure, finger sweat prints, has been shown to be a simple, inexpensive, sensitive measure of emotional and motivational reaction as well as clinical anxiety (Bixenstine, 1955;Gladstone, 1953;Malmo, 1965;Paul, 1966). A graphic rating scale of general level of arousal, useful in a previous study (Droppleman & McNair, 1968) as a subjective correlate of finger sweating, was selected as the psychological measure.…”

Finger Sweat Print Tape Bands

“…Both devices require that >Ss be immobilized during use, an obvious limiting factor for many potential applications. While earlier observations indicated that the amount of pressure can affect FSP density (Gladstone, 1953), the above apparatus may provide unnecessarily precise pressure regulation. Ferreira and Winter (1963) found negligible pressure effects within a range (4-16 oz) manipulated experimentally.…”

“…originated a familiar and simple technique for obtaining finger sweat prints (FSPs) which proved useful as a measure of emotional and motivational arousal and clinical anxiety {e.g.., Bixenstine, 1955;Davis, 1957;Gladstone, 1953;Haywood, 1962;Malmo, 1965;Mowrer, 1953). In the years following Silverman and Powell's work, the FSP technique went through a series of refinements and elaborations (Gladstone, 1953;Light, 1951;Chambers, Pasternak, and ]\Iueller, 1960;Brutten, 1959). Some of these changes converted a simple method into a relatively complex, laborious and expensive one.…”