The Locus of Arousal and Activation Effects on Information Processing Stages

The purpose of this study was to determine the locus of arousal and activation effects on information processing stages. A number of 30 non-athlete female undergraduate students participated voluntarily in this study. They performed Reaction Time Analysis (RTA) task using Vienna test system while their electro-dermal activity was recorded continuously during performance using UFI instrument. Task- related activation was calculated for each participant using the difference between skin conductance levels (SCL) during the rest with one''s during the task. Time used in each stage of information processing was also recorded. The results showed that activation was not correlated with duration of stimulus identification and response selection stages. Instead¡ and as a result of increase in activation¡ duration of response programming stage decreased. In conclusion¡ locus of activation effect was found on response programming stage.