Pressure profilesπψψ(r)were obtained for several polymer solutions in a cone‐and‐plate device (R=10 in.,ψ0=1.5°) over a shear rate range7–266 sec−1.Measurements were made with a single transducer mounted flush with a movable plate; the transducer could also be lowered to simulate the effect of holes. Normal stress functionsN1=π11−π22andN2=π22−π33were calculated by four different methods, representing varying approximations to the realπψψ(r)distribution. For polyethylene oxide (PEO) in water/glycerin and polystyrene (PS) in Aroclor,N2/N1was found to benegativeand greater in magnitude for the latter system. The function|N2/N1|for PEO appeared nearly constant over most of the shear range, although possibly increasing below30 sec−1.Values for PS did not achieve this asymptotic condition, but were consistent with such behavior. Magnitude of the asymptote for PEO was 0.1–0.2, depending on the method of calculation. Simulated pressure tap holes caused lowerπψψ,leading toN1values reduced by as much as 30% and totally misleadingN2.The holes are thus shown to be responsible for the commonly reported positive values ofN2/N1.