Examining levels of processing using verbal & pictorial stimuli with the complex trial protocol in a mock theft scenario

Abstract

The Complex Trial Protocol (CTP) is an EEG-based Concealed Information Test (CIT). Depth of processing influences memorability where deeper processing increases recollection. The CTP’s performance as a function of shallow versus deep levels of processing has not been explored. Two experiments were conducted, one with verbal stimuli and the other with their pictorial referents. In both experiments, participants were randomly assigned to three groups, Innocent Control (Control) condition, Guilty Immediate Shallow Processing (Shallow) condition, and Guilty Immediate Deep Processing (Deep) condition. Shallow and Deep participants from both experiments underwent the same mock theft scenario and all three groups were later exposed to either a verbal (N = 41) or pictorial (N = 43) stimulus on a computer monitor. In the word study, no differences in CIT effect were found between any of the groups. Areas under the curve (AUCs) did not differ from chance (.624 and .679 for Shallow and Deep groups respectively). In the image study, the CIT effect for the Shallow and Deep groups differed from the Control one. The AUCs (.755 and .943 for the Shallow and Deep groups respectively) differed significantly from each other. Levels of Processing (LOP) did not appear to have any bearing on CTP performance when words were used as probes but did have an effect when images were used. The findings may hint at some of the limitations of the CTP and fail to replicate similar experiments, especially when words are used as probes, from the late Peter Rosenfeld’s laboratory.