The Orienting Response as an Index of Mass Communication Effect

ABSTRACT A study is described of the contribution of the electrodermal response to the measurement of broadcast communication effect. A 2 × 2 mixed between‐within groups design was employed. The within groups variable was radio commercial content, while the between groups variable was production style. Electrodermal measurements included average log conductance change, number of responses, and recovery half time. Comparison measures included retention test, interestingness scales, and semantic differentials. Only average log conductance change significantly discriminated stimuli on both between and within groups variables. An explanatory model incorporating Sokolov's notion of the neuronal model and the Deutsch and Deutsch model for attention is offered.