COLLOQUIUM
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
University of South Carolina
 
Neuroscientific Modeling of Deception with HD-ERPs
and fMRI: Experimental and Computational Problems

Jennifer M. C. Vendemia
Michael J. Schillaci

Department of Psychology
University of South Carolina

Date: February 20, 2004 (Friday)
Time: 3:30-4:30PM
Place: Swearingen 1A03 (Faculty Lounge)

Abstract

For the past four years the detection deception laboratory in the
Experimental Psychology Program at USC has been exploring the neural
substrates of deceptive responding for the purpose of identifying
spatial and temporal aspects of brain waves that could be used to
classify deceptive behavior.  We have been investigating deception
using High-Density Event Related Potentials (HD-ERP) and functional
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) in studies of the effects of
attention and memory on deceptive behavior.

Utilizing a combination of data analysis strategies, four waveforms
have been consistently identified in our studies.  An early positive
component (P3a) in the cingulate gyrus, a subsequent centro-parietal
positivity (P3b) with multiple cortical sources, a late occurring
negativity (N4) in the inferior frontal gyrus, and a late positive
complex in regions of the temporal gyrus and anterior cingulate.  We
have formulated a theory of deception in which early attentional
processes are followed by evaluative and decision-making processes,
and then by a final reanalysis.  This theory will help to build a
testable model of deception.

An overview of our analysis procedures as well as the computational
software that we presently use will be given. Data artifacts and
variability in neurophysiology across subjects make data visualization
an essential aspect of this ongoing research. We demonstrate some of
these typical problems and show how we have worked to eliminate or
minimize their effects. We conclude with an overview of some of the
currently available proprietary and research software and point to
areas where collaboration seems most appropriate

Jennifer Vendemia is currently a Research Assistant Professor in the
Department of Psychology at the University of South Carolina.  She
received her Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from the Virginia
Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1998. She is the Science
and Technology editor for “Polygraph,” the Journal of the
American Polygraph Association.

Michael Schillaci is a currently a Research Assistant Professor in the
Department of Psychology at the University of South Carolina. He
received his Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics from the University of
Arkansas in 1999. He has worked for over twelve years developing
computational simulations and has written an introductory textbook on
Computational Physics for undergraduates. Recently he has developed a
novel approach for the analysis of brain states of subjects during
deception, utilizing an intuitive, probabilistic approach for data
normalization.