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Melis G, Ursino M, Scarpazza C, Zangrossi A, Sartori G. Detecting lies in investigative interviews through the analysis of response latencies and error rates to unexpected questions. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12268. [PMID: 38806588 PMCID: PMC11133341 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63156-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
In this study, we propose an approach to detect deception during investigative interviews by integrating response latency and error analysis with the unexpected question technique. Sixty participants were assigned to an honest (n = 30) or deceptive group (n = 30). The deceptive group was instructed to memorize the false biographical details of a fictitious identity. Throughout the interviews, participants were presented with a randomized sequence of control, expected, and unexpected open-ended questions about identity. Responses were audio recorded for detailed examination. Our findings indicate that deceptive participants showed markedly longer latencies and higher error rates when answering expected (requiring deception) and unexpected questions (for which premeditated deception was not possible). Longer response latencies were also observed in participants attempting deception when answering control questions (which necessitated truthful answers). Moreover, a within-subject analysis highlighted that responding to unexpected questions significantly impaired individuals' performance compared to answering control and expected questions. Leveraging machine-learning algorithms, our approach attained a classification accuracy of 98% in distinguishing deceptive and honest participants. Additionally, a classification analysis on single response levels was conducted. Our findings underscore the effectiveness of merging response latency metrics and error rates with unexpected questioning as a robust method for identity deception detection in investigative interviews. We also discuss significant implications for enhancing interview strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Melis
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padova, Italy.
- Human Inspired Technology Research Centre, University of Padua, Padova, Italy.
| | - Martina Ursino
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | - Cristina Scarpazza
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
- Translational Neuroimaging and Cognitive Lab, IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy
| | - Andrea Zangrossi
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
- Padova Neuroscience Center (PNC), University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Sartori
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
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Sauerland M, Krix AC, Sagana A. Deceiving suspects about their alibi is equally harmful to the innocent and guilty. APPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/acp.3577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Sauerland
- Section Forensic Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychological ScienceMaastricht University Maastricht The Netherlands
| | - Alana C. Krix
- Section Forensic Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychological ScienceMaastricht University Maastricht The Netherlands
| | - Anna Sagana
- Section Forensic Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychological ScienceMaastricht University Maastricht The Netherlands
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Taxing the Brain to Uncover Lying? Meta-analyzing the Effect of Imposing Cognitive Load on the Reaction-Time Costs of Lying. JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN MEMORY AND COGNITION 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jarmac.2018.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Li F, Zhu H, Xu J, Gao Q, Guo H, Wu S, Li X, He S. Lie Detection Using fNIRS Monitoring of Inhibition-Related Brain Regions Discriminates Infrequent but not Frequent Liars. Front Hum Neurosci 2018; 12:71. [PMID: 29593514 PMCID: PMC5859104 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2017] [Accepted: 02/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to test whether monitoring inhibition-related brain regions is a feasible method for detecting both infrequent liars and frequent liars. Thirty-two participants were divided into two groups: the deceptive group (liars) and the non-deceptive group (ND group, innocents). All the participants were required to undergo a simulated interrogation by a computer. The participants from the deceptive group were instructed to tell a mix of lies and truths and those of the ND group were instructed always to tell the truth. Based on the number of deceptions, the participants of the deceptive group were further divided into a infrequently deceptive group (IFD group, infrequent liars) and a frequently deceptive group (FD group, frequent liars). The infrequent liars exhibited greater neural activities than the frequent liars and the innocents in the left middle frontal gyrus (MFG) when performing the deception detection tasks. While performing deception detection tasks, infrequent liars showed significantly greater neural activation in the left MFG than the baseline, but frequent liars and innocents did not exhibit this pattern of neural activation in any area of inhibition-related brain regions. The results of individual analysis showed an acceptable accuracy of detecting infrequent liars, but an unacceptable accuracy of detecting frequent liars. These results suggest that using fNIRS monitoring of inhibition-related brain regions is feasible for detecting infrequent liars, for whom deception may be more effortful and therefore more physiologically marked, but not frequent liars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Li
- Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University (SCNU), Guangzhou, China.,College of Teacher Education and Psychology, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China.,School of Psychology, South China Normal University (SCNU), Guangzhou, China
| | - Huilin Zhu
- Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University (SCNU), Guangzhou, China
| | - Jie Xu
- Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University (SCNU), Guangzhou, China
| | - Qianqian Gao
- Guangdong Dance and Drama College, Foshan, China
| | - Huan Guo
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University (SCNU), Guangzhou, China
| | - Shijing Wu
- Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University (SCNU), Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinge Li
- Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University (SCNU), Guangzhou, China.,School of Psychology, South China Normal University (SCNU), Guangzhou, China
| | - Sailing He
- Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University (SCNU), Guangzhou, China.,Department of Electromagnetic Engineering, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
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