Speed versus accuracy instructions in the response time concealed information test

Abstract The response time concealed information test (RT-CIT) can reveal that a person recognizes a relevant item (probe) among other, irrelevant items, based on slower responding to the probe compared to the irrelevant items. Thereby, if this person is concealing knowledge about the relevance of t...

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Main Authors: Till Lubczyk, Gáspár Lukács, Ulrich Ansorge
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2022-01-01
Series:Cognitive Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-021-00352-8
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author Till Lubczyk
Gáspár Lukács
Ulrich Ansorge
author_facet Till Lubczyk
Gáspár Lukács
Ulrich Ansorge
author_sort Till Lubczyk
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The response time concealed information test (RT-CIT) can reveal that a person recognizes a relevant item (probe) among other, irrelevant items, based on slower responding to the probe compared to the irrelevant items. Thereby, if this person is concealing knowledge about the relevance of this item (e.g., recognizing it as a murder weapon), this deception can be unveiled. In the present paper, we examined the impact of a speed versus accuracy instruction: Examinees (N = 235) were either presented with instructions emphasizing a focus on speed, with instructions emphasizing a focus on accuracy, or with no particular speed or accuracy instructions at all. We found that although participants responded to the probe and the irrelevants marginally faster when they had received instructions emphasizing speed, there was no significant difference between RTs of the different experimental groups and crucially no significant difference between the probe–irrelevant RT differences either. This means that such instructions are unlikely to benefit the RT-CIT, but it also suggests that related deliberate manipulation (focusing on speed on or accuracy) is unlikely to decrease the efficiency of the RT-CIT—contributing further evidence to the RT-CIT’s resistance to faking.
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spelling doaj.art-2c4c7d551e384359b55c52e56da21e4f2022-12-21T21:19:57ZengSpringerOpenCognitive Research2365-74642022-01-017111110.1186/s41235-021-00352-8Speed versus accuracy instructions in the response time concealed information testTill Lubczyk0Gáspár Lukács1Ulrich Ansorge2Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of ViennaDepartment of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of ViennaDepartment of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of ViennaAbstract The response time concealed information test (RT-CIT) can reveal that a person recognizes a relevant item (probe) among other, irrelevant items, based on slower responding to the probe compared to the irrelevant items. Thereby, if this person is concealing knowledge about the relevance of this item (e.g., recognizing it as a murder weapon), this deception can be unveiled. In the present paper, we examined the impact of a speed versus accuracy instruction: Examinees (N = 235) were either presented with instructions emphasizing a focus on speed, with instructions emphasizing a focus on accuracy, or with no particular speed or accuracy instructions at all. We found that although participants responded to the probe and the irrelevants marginally faster when they had received instructions emphasizing speed, there was no significant difference between RTs of the different experimental groups and crucially no significant difference between the probe–irrelevant RT differences either. This means that such instructions are unlikely to benefit the RT-CIT, but it also suggests that related deliberate manipulation (focusing on speed on or accuracy) is unlikely to decrease the efficiency of the RT-CIT—contributing further evidence to the RT-CIT’s resistance to faking.https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-021-00352-8DeceptionConcealed information testResponse timeSpeed–accuracy trade-offDecision making
spellingShingle Till Lubczyk
Gáspár Lukács
Ulrich Ansorge
Speed versus accuracy instructions in the response time concealed information test
Cognitive Research
Deception
Concealed information test
Response time
Speed–accuracy trade-off
Decision making
title Speed versus accuracy instructions in the response time concealed information test
title_full Speed versus accuracy instructions in the response time concealed information test
title_fullStr Speed versus accuracy instructions in the response time concealed information test
title_full_unstemmed Speed versus accuracy instructions in the response time concealed information test
title_short Speed versus accuracy instructions in the response time concealed information test
title_sort speed versus accuracy instructions in the response time concealed information test
topic Deception
Concealed information test
Response time
Speed–accuracy trade-off
Decision making
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-021-00352-8
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