Presenting Physiological Measures: Effectiveness of Demonstration versus Lecture

Abstract

This article provides guidelines for demonstrating human physiological responses to undergraduates and compares the effectiveness of demonstration and lecture formats for presenting physiological measures. Two responses, the galvanic skin response (GSR) and electrocardiogram (EKG), were presented to students either as a demonstration or in a lecture format. Results indicate that demonstrations may provide an effective format for improving retention of information about simple procedures and responses, such as the GSR, but may not be as effective as lecture presentation of more complex information, such as the EKG waveform.