A possible link between intelligence level and habituation of the GSR

An attempt was made to correlate the intelligence level of three well-defined groups (Gifted, IQ 140; Normal, 95 IQ 105: Mentally retarded, 45 IQ 55) and the habituation rate and pattern of a GSR response to a series of light stimuli. The results indicate that the gifted and normal groups yield systematic patterns of GSR responding in contrast to the mentally retarded, whose distribution of GSR response pattern differs. The mentally retarded seem to yeild a larger number of ill-defined, non-systematic GSR responses. These results indicate a possible link between the measured level of intelligence by IQ test and the habituation pattern in an autonomic nervous system response.