Abstract
A promising line of research on forensic assessment of paraphilic sexual interest focuses on behavioral measures of visual attention using sexual stimuli as distractors. The present study combined event-related potentials (ERPs) with behavioral measures to investigate whether detection of a hidden sexual preference can be improved with ERPs. Normal variants of sexual orientation were used for a proof-of-concept investigation. Accordingly, 40 heterosexual and 40 gay men participated in the study. Within each group, half of the participants were instructed to hide their sexual orientation. The results showed that a match between sexual orientation and stimulus delays responses and influences ERP before motor responses. Late ERP components showed higher potential in differentiating hidden sexual preferences than motor responses, thereby showing how ERPs can be used in combination with reaction time measures to potentially facilitate the detection of hidden sexual preferences.
Highlights
A promising line of research on forensic assessment of paraphilic sexual interest focuses on behavioral measures of visual attention using sexual stimuli as distractors
The results showed that a match between sexual orientation and stimulus delays responses and influences event-related potentials (ERPs) before motor responses
Late ERP components showed higher potential in differentiating hidden sexual preferences than motor responses, thereby showing how ERPs can be used in combination with reaction time measures to potentially facilitate the detection of hidden sexual preferences
Summary
A promising line of research on forensic assessment of paraphilic sexual interest focuses on behavioral measures of visual attention using sexual stimuli as distractors. The present study combined event-related potentials (ERPs) with behavioral measures to investigate whether detection of a hidden sexual preference can be improved with ERPs. Normal variants of sexual orientation were used for a proof-of-concept investigation. Visual attention allows us to quickly focus on single objects of interest within a complex environment This automatic and involuntary orientation is modulated by the perceptual properties of a stimulus such as shape or color or by its emotional. As a result of this individual appraisal, a stimulus event obtains an emotional meaning that may influence emotional, physiological, or behavioral reactions. Studies have been conducted with normal variants of sexual orientation (i.e., gay and heterosexual orientation) as well as with paraphilic sexual interests involving samples where subjects may not be willing to disclose their sexual interests (e.g., pedophilic interest)
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