Doctoral Dissertation Research: A Priming Paradigm for Eliciting Neural Correlates of Concealed Attitudes

University Of Texas At El Paso, El Paso TX

Investigators

Abstract

Recent deception detection approaches (e.g., lie detector tests) rely upon a brainwave sensitive to concealed information, such as a murder weapon at a crime scene, called the P3. Yet this concealed information approach does not apply in many circumstances where concealed information is important. For example, it has no screening potential. Therefore, researchers have begun to investigate other approaches that can use the P3 signal and that are sensitive to additional information such as attitudes, rather than just information about objects. However, important questions remain, such as how to elicit other brainwaves, which could enhance the accuracy of the test. The primary intellectual merit of this project is its extension beyond prior concealed attitude studies. They advance the field by outlining both practical implementations and techniques for better understanding the basic neural processes of deception. Through use of a scenario known to elicit the memory-related brain wave and a brain wave for competing responses to deception, the research builds upon prior studies using brain signals to detect knowledge, extending them here to detect intentions. These findings have important implications for law enforcement practice because, unlike other tests of concealed information, this test may be a useful security screening tool to detect when someone has an extreme attitude. Therefore this doctoral research project will contribute to detecting deception about attitudes and intentions, rather than objects. In addition, the research will be conducted at a Hispanic Serving Institution, thus potentially expanding opportunities for science research among members of underrepresented groups.