Sex Differences in Autonomic Responses During Instrumental Conditioning

The behavior of 21 women in an instrumental conditioning experiment using a punch-avoidance response was quite similar to that of a previously studied group of men. However, the women had lower levels of galvanic skin response (GSR) activity and higher heart rates. GSR discrimination during avoidance learning was less pronounced for women than for men. Both groups had a tendency for heart rate to slow when behavior was inhibited by instruction.