title: How to accurately detect autobiographical events.
abstract: We describe a new method, based on indirect measures of implicit autobiographical memory, that allows evaluation of which of two contrasting autobiographical events (e.g., crimes) is true for a given individual. Participants were requested to classify sentences describing possible autobiographical events by pressing one of two response keys. Responses were faster when sentences related to truly autobiographical events shared the same response key with other sentences reporting true events and slower when sentences related to truly autobiographical events shared the same response key with sentences reporting false events. This method has possible application in forensic settings and as a lie-detection technique.
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, University of Padua, Italy. giuseppe.sartori@unipd.it
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sartori
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agosta
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zogmaister
authors.forename: Santo Davide
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Ferrara
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Castiello
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000523:psychology; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry; D006167:Guilt; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000523:psychology; D006708:Homicide / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007298:Insanity Defense; D008014:Lie Detection / Q000523:psychology*; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012372:ROC Curve; D011930:Reaction Time; D012193:Reversal Learning; D012650:Self Disclosure; D013800:Theft / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult