A mock terrorism application of the P300-based concealed information test

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Forensic Psychology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Previous P300-based concealed information tests focused on mock crimes or autobiographical details.
• The application of this test in counterterrorism scenarios remained unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of the P300-based concealed information test in a counterterrorism context.
• To determine if the test could detect knowledge of a planned mock terrorist attack.

Main Methods:

• Subjects covertly planned a mock terrorist attack.
• The Complex Trial Protocol was used for concealed information testing across three blocks: location, method, and date.
• Analysis included detection of knowledge of probe items and specific crime details.

Main Results:

• The test correctly identified all 12 guilty subjects (100% detection) with no false positives among 12 innocent subjects.
• With restricted prior knowledge, 10 out of 12 guilty subjects were identified, along with 20 out of 30 crime-related details, also without false positives.

Conclusions:

• The P300-based concealed information test is effective in a counterterrorism scenario.
• The protocol shows promise for identifying individuals involved in or planning future terrorist activities.