The relations between log. basal conductance and performance on three tasks were investigated. Significant relations were found with end spurt and reminiscence on the pursuit rotor, with overall performance on a dotting task, and with abnormally slow responses and optimum response speed in reaction time. These results are consistent with a view of basal conductance as a measure of ‘tonic’ activation or the ergotropic‐trophotropic dimension of Hess.