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Related Experiment Videos

The truth will out: interrogative polygraphy ("lie detection") with event-related brain potentials.

L A Farwell1, E Donchin

  • 1Cognitive Psychophysiology Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Psychophysiology
|September 1, 1991
PubMed
Summary

This study shows that the Guilty Knowledge Test, using Event Related Brain Potentials (ERPs), can accurately detect concealed information. The P300 brainwave reliably identified subjects with guilty knowledge in mock espionage and real-life scenarios.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Forensic Psychology

Background:

  • The Guilty Knowledge Test (GKT) by Farwell and Donchin (1986, 1988) aims to detect concealed information.
  • This test relies on identifying unique brain responses, specifically the P300 event-related potential (ERP), to crime-relevant stimuli.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of using Event Related Brain Potentials (ERPs) within the Guilty Knowledge Test for Interrogative Polygraphy.
  • To determine if the P300 component can reliably indicate the presence of guilty knowledge.

Main Methods:

  • Two experiments were conducted using mock espionage scenarios and real-life minor offenses.
  • Participants were presented with target, irrelevant, and probe stimuli, responding via button presses.
  • Event Related Brain Potentials (ERPs) were recorded, focusing on the P300 response to differentiate between stimuli.

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Main Results:

  • Targets elicited significant P300s in all subjects.
  • Probes associated with specific scenarios elicited P300s in subjects who possessed that knowledge.
  • The Guilty Knowledge Test demonstrated high accuracy, with no false positives or negatives in determined cases.

Conclusions:

  • The Guilty Knowledge Test utilizing ERPs is a feasible and accurate method for detecting concealed information.
  • The P300 component serves as a reliable indicator of guilty knowledge, supporting its application in forensic contexts.