P300 amplitude at Pz and N200/N300 latency at F3 differ between participants simulating suspect versus witness roles in a mock crime

Psychophysiology. 2017 Apr;54(4):640-648. doi: 10.1111/psyp.12823. Epub 2017 Jan 27.

Abstract

Based on the autonomic nervous system (ANS) study by klein Selle, Verschuere, Kindt, Meijer, & Ben Shakhar (2016), 15 participants pretended to perform a crime shown on a video, which 16 other participants pretended to witness. Both groups then experienced a P300-based Concealed Information Test (CIT) protocol called the complex trial protocol. Both groups showed CIT effects, with a larger probe than irrelevant P300s at Pz. However, this effect was significantly larger in the suspect group. In contrast, only the suspect group showed delayed N200/N300 responses at F3-putative inhibitory signs. This supports the klein Selle et al. (2016) ANS study in that the suspect versus witness role-playing manipulation differentially affected inhibitory (vs. orienting) aspects of the CIT situation. Our results are also consistent with Ambach, Stark, Peper, & Vaitl (2008), who saw the same autonomic response fractionation as klein Selle et al., but using Furedy's differentiation of deception method (Furedy, Davis, & Gurevich, 1988). These similarities are discussed.

Keywords: Arousal inhibition (AI); Complex trial protocol; Concealed Information Test (CIT); N200; N300; Orienting response (OR); P300.

MeSH terms

  • Cerebral Cortex / physiology*
  • Deception*
  • Electroencephalography
  • Event-Related Potentials, P300*
  • Evoked Potentials*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Imagination
  • Male