P300-Based Deception Detection in Anti-Terror Applications

Anti-terror uses of the P300- based,Concealed Information Test; Deception Awareness effects J. Peter Rosenfeld Northwestern University Psychology Department

Complex Trial Protocol

Psychophysiology, 48 (2011), 149154.

An Innocent Control and Mock Terrorist group Terrorists read 3 brochures about 1. place, 2.weapons, 3.dates for attack, then make a recommendation to chieftain. Controls read vacation brochures and recommend to SO s, parents. All tested on guilty scenario, 1 block for each category.

12 Probe Iall 8 Amplitude ( v) 4 0 Guilty Innocent Group

Iall Imax Blind Imax Guilty Innocent Guilty Innocent Guilty Innocent 1000 648 985 287 985 603 1000 610 999 416 998 602 955 598 889 476 892 649 996 611 898 430 893 605 994 150 946 17 943 689 909 475 698 284 761 547 945 600 677 365 702 536 997 555 959 250 961 569 999 985 586 908 888 217 907 565 690 382 886 706 667 912 390 129 698 650 837 903 644 215 842 702 966 546 863 289 872 619 12/12 0/12 12/12 0/12 10/12 0/12 AUC = 1.0 AUC = 1.0 AUC = .979

Obviously, I shopped this around some of our intelligence agencies: A member of the community was not too interested in this test of concealed info detection, but for the needs of his agency was more eager to have a deception detector, ala Pinocchio. I asked for examples of his agency s needs, and after awhile, he provided 3 vignettes:

Other Applications of P300-based Memory Detection are known Forensic, Neuropsychology (Malingering), Various innate preferences . In recent years we have been looking for ways to increase sensitivity of all, as well as to improve resistance to various countermeasures. Regarding the former

Part II Does suspect s heightened awareness of need to deceive enhance test sensitivity? Ben-Shakhar et al. asked with ANS-CIT. Verschuere et al.,(2009) asked question about P300 first with deception vs control group & 3-stimulus protocol: Probe, Target, 4 Irrels., but didn t get the key interaction: P-I x group, but did get suggestive (p<.08) hit rate difference. Allen Hu & I re-did study to try to extend Verschuere et al., 09.

Verschuere et al. (2009) 1) 1) Verschuere Verschuere et al. (2009) used an et al. (2009) used an extremely over extremely over- -learned probe, one s first learned probe, one s first name name, whose special meaningfulness , whose special meaningfulness may have overshadowed the deception may have overshadowed the deception manipulation, so that in a control group manipulation, so that in a control group not alerted about the need to deceive, not alerted about the need to deceive, the oddball effect produced P300 the oddball effect produced P300 amplitudes at ceiling levels. amplitudes at ceiling levels. 2) 2) Subjects were given the deception Subjects were given the deception manipulation only once manipulation only once prior to the P300 recording block. Results: suggestive. recording block. Results: suggestive. prior to the P300

Our New Study We expected that by We expected that by maintaining awareness of deception via awareness of deception via ongoing feedback throughout the ongoing feedback throughout the testing run, and use of a less well testing run, and use of a less well- - rehearsed probe, rehearsed probe, the home town name, we can demonstrate the name, we can demonstrate the enhanced effect of awareness of enhanced effect of awareness of deception on probe deception on probe- -minus irrelevant P300 differences and irrelevant P300 differences and detection rates. detection rates. maintaining the home town minus- -

Our Study Control (low deception awareness) Control (low deception awareness) group group subjects subjects read, You are going to read, You are going to see a series of words on the display see a series of words on the display screen. These words are town names screen. These words are town names. . You are to press the right hand button You are to press the right hand button which means, I recognize the target which means, I recognize the target when you see the target name which is when you see the target name which is Norfolk Norfolk. You press the left hand button . You press the left hand button to to all other names . all other names . We can tell from your brain waves we We can tell from your brain waves we record on each trial record on each trial-- --with 80 accuracy accuracy if you mistakenly press the if you mistakenly press the wrong button. We will give you feedback wrong button. We will give you feedback to this effect every few minutes. to this effect every few minutes. with 80- -90% 90%

Deception Group Deception Group also told: You are also told: You are going to see a series of town names going to see a series of town names You are to press the right button which You are to press the right button which means, I recognize it when you see the target name which is recognize it when you see the target name which is Norfolk Norfolk. You will therefore be telling the . You will therefore be telling the TRUTH you DO recognize it as your target name. You press the you DO recognize it as your target name. You press the left button which means I don't recognize it to all left button which means I don't recognize it to all other names which are not targets. other names which are not targets. means, I TRUTH since since But one of these non But one of these non- -target names you will target names you will see is your home town name. When you press see is your home town name. When you press the I don't recognize it button for this name the I don't recognize it button for this name you will be you will be LYING LYING. You don't recognize it as . You don't recognize it as your target, but you DO recognize it as your your target, but you DO recognize it as your home town. home town. We can tell from your brain waves we record on each We can tell from your brain waves we record on each trial trial-- --with 80 with 80- -90% accuracy 90% accuracy deny recognizing your personal information. We will deny recognizing your personal information. We will give you feedback to this effect every few minutes. give you feedback to this effect every few minutes. when you deceptively when you deceptively

Deception Feedbacks: 1) 1) Based on your brain waves in the past Based on your brain waves in the past several minutes, we see you are lying on several minutes, we see you are lying on certain trials, but mostly following button certain trials, but mostly following button press instructions very well press instructions very well. . 2) Based on your brain waves in the past few minutes, 2) Based on your brain waves in the past few minutes, we see you are still lying on a few trials, but following we see you are still lying on a few trials, but following button press instructions well. button press instructions well. 3) Based on your recent brain waves you are lying on 3) Based on your recent brain waves you are lying on certain trials, but mostly following other instructions. certain trials, but mostly following other instructions. 4) Based on your brain waves in the past several 4) Based on your brain waves in the past several minutes, we see you are lying on certain trials, but minutes, we see you are lying on certain trials, but mostly following button press instructions very well. mostly following button press instructions very well. 5) Based on your brain waves in the past few minutes, 5) Based on your brain waves in the past few minutes, we see you are still lying on a few trials, but following we see you are still lying on a few trials, but following button press instructions very well. button press instructions very well. 6) Based on your recent brain waves you are lying on 6) Based on your recent brain waves you are lying on certain trials, but mostly following other instructions certain trials, but mostly following other instructions very well. very well.

Control Feedbacks: 1) Based on your brain waves in the past few 1) Based on your brain waves in the past few minutes, we see you are making mistaken minutes, we see you are making mistaken button presses on certain trials, but mostly button presses on certain trials, but mostly following button press instructions very well. following button press instructions very well. 2) Based on your brain waves in the past several minutes, 2) Based on your brain waves in the past several minutes, we see you are still making a few mistaken button presses we see you are still making a few mistaken button presses on a few trials, but following button press instructions well. on a few trials, but following button press instructions well. 3) 3) Based on your recent brain waves, we see you are Based on your recent brain waves, we see you are making some mistaken button presses on certain trials, but making some mistaken button presses on certain trials, but mostly following other instructions very well. mostly following other instructions very well. 4) 4) Based on your brain waves in the past few minutes, we Based on your brain waves in the past few minutes, we see you are still making occasional mistaken button presses see you are still making occasional mistaken button presses on certain trials, but mostly following button press on certain trials, but mostly following button press instructions very well. instructions very well. 5) 5) Based on your brain waves in the past several minutes, Based on your brain waves in the past several minutes, we see you are still making mistaken button presses on a we see you are still making mistaken button presses on a few trials, but following button press instructions well. few trials, but following button press instructions well. 6) 6) Based on your recent brain waves, we see you are still Based on your recent brain waves, we see you are still making a few mistaken button presses on certain trials, but making a few mistaken button presses on certain trials, but mostly following other instructions very well. mostly following other instructions very well.

Bottom lines Deception awareness enhances sensitivity of 3-stimulus protocol (used here for comparison with Verschuere et al.) (Manny Donchin recently reminded me that deception manipulation may work via directing attention to probe category. Could be. We have said that before ourselves.)

Future direction: Next step: Repeat study with the Complex Trial Protocol, in which we can also certainly alert subjects to try to conceal recognition of crime- relevant information, though they do not lie during test, though they have likely done so in interrogation. They can also get feedback during run, e.g., you seem to be recognizing some items .