The cognitive processes behind answering questions deceptively are poorly understood by scientists. Such an understanding might aid researchers in providing new lie detection methods to the criminal justice system for use with suspects during interrogation and for other aspects of criminal investigation. The proposed research will explore the mental events that underlie answering questions deceptively. Specifically, the Activation-Decision-Construction Model (ADCM) of deception will be tested. The ADCM is concerned with cognitive aspects of lying such as the cognitive load it imposes, the influence of verbal skills on lie generation, and the extent to which rehearsing lies reduces cognitive load. Moreover, Time-Restricted Integrity Confirmation (TRI-Con), a lie detection method based on the ADCM designed to maximize cognitive load on liars and minimizes it on truth-tellers, will be evaluated and refined. In addition, TRI-Con will be combined with eye tracking technology to assess whether eye data such as pupil dilation provide cognitive/physiological cues to deception. This research seeks to answer several questions. Does lie construction increase response time when answering questions? Do eye data increase liar-truth teller classification beyond response times? Does verbal ability affect the efficiency of lie generation, and how is this relationship affected by rehearsal? As a cognitive load-reducing countermeasure, how will rehearsal affect TRI-Con's liar/truth-teller classification accuracy? Does inconsistency across interrelated questions provided a converging cue to deception under TRI-Con? Does having to multitask during a lie detection examination increase cognitive load on liars compared to truth tellers and thereby increase classification accuracy? Five studies will be conducted in which young adults will lie or tell the truth about participating in a mock crime, over what they witnessed in a videotaped crime, or about autobiographical information. In each case, the validity of the ADCM and TRI-Con will be tested with the goal of answering the questions above. The results should advance theory and practice that can help guide the scientific community in conducting future research that may eventually lead to a new, valid lie detection technique. Such a technology would provide the law enforcement community with a powerful tool.
