A. Scarpa et al., HEART-RATE AND SKIN-CONDUCTANCE IN BEHAVIORALLY INHIBITED MAURITIAN CHILDREN, Journal of abnormal psychology, 106(2), 1997, pp. 182-190
This study tested predictions that inhibited versus uninhibited childr
en exhibit higher heart fate (HR) and skin conductance (SC) arousal. M
auritian children (N = 1,795) were tested at age 3 and classified as i
nhibited, middle. or uninhibited on the basis of social behavior. HR l
evel and several SC measures were obtained immediately before or durin
g a tune task. Inhibited children displayed significantly higher HR an
d SC levels and longer SC latency relative to uninhibited children. Re
sults remained regardless of ethnicity, gender, height, weight, respir
atory complaints, or crying behavior. Findings suggest that HR and SC
levels may be early indicators of inhibited or uninhibited behavior at
age 3 and support the notion of heightened sympathetic reactivity due
to limbic arousal in inhibited children.