Anticipation and Response Set: Cortical, Cardiac, and Electrodermal Correlates

ABSTRACT Three experiments are reported investigating cortical and visceral responding during a twostimulus anticipation paradigm. Male undergraduate volunteers received auditory warning stimuli signalling the presentation of either high or low interest color slides at the end of a 6‐sec foreperiod. A between subject factor, reaction time (RT), was included to assess the effects of a motor response on the anticipatory psychophysiology. Subjects performing the reaction time task produced a two component cortical slow potential with both components larger than under no‐task conditions. The reaction time procedure also prompted larger visceral responses. The slow cortical response proved most sensitive to the “interest” manipulation when attentional demands were maximized.