Galvanic skin responses from asking stressful questions.

This study considers the effects of stress on interviewers as they ask challenging questions to interviewees. A convenience sample of 40 subjects was drawn from health and social care professionals and divided into a study group and a control group. Instrumentation was by unobtrusive galvanic skin response monitors. Data calibrations were checked against heart rate and finger temperature monitors for accuracy. The findings showed that when the interviewer asked a challenging question which they had designed themselves, it triggered a measurable stress response in 80% of interviewers. The respondents did not show stress responses to the same challenging question.