Effects of single- and multiple-relevant items conditions on differential psychological and physiological responses on the Concealed Information Test

Abstract

Characteristic physiological responses on the Concealed Information Test (CIT) have been a topic of interest. The present study compared physiological responses and self-reported emotion between a single relevant item and a multiple relevant items condition. Participants performed a mock theft where they were asked to steal one or three accessories. They were also asked to choose one or three cards, each indicating a color name. If participants stole one accessory, they would choose three cards; if participants stole three accessories, they would choose one card. Then, participants underwent the CIT, which assessed stolen items and selected colors. The relevant-irrelevant differences in physiological measures, such as skin conductance, respiratory speed, heart rate, and normalized pulse volume, were smaller in the three-relevant items condition than in the one-relevant item condition. Self-reported measures indicated that participants felt surprise and tension during the relevant item presentation. However, the number of relevant items in the question set did not affect self-reported emotion. These results indicate dissociation between physiological and self-reported measures on the CIT.