title: Scalable interrogation: Eliciting human pheromone responses to deception in a security interview setting.
abstract: Individuals trying to conceal knowledge from interrogators are likely to experience raised levels of stress that can manifest itself across biological, physiological, psychological and behavioural factors, providing an opportunity for detection. Using established research paradigms an innovative scalable interrogation was designed in which participants were given a 'token' that represented information they had to conceal from interviewers. A control group did not receive a token and therefore did not have to deceive the investigators. The aim of this investigation was to examine differences between deceivers and truth-tellers across the four factors by collecting data for cortisol levels, sweat samples, heart-rate, respiration, skin temperature, subjective stress ratings and video and audio recordings. The results provided an integrated understanding of responses to interrogation by those actively concealing information and those acting innocently. Of particular importance, the results also suggest, for the first time in an interrogation setting, that stressed individuals may secrete a volatile steroid based marker that could be used for stand-off detection. The findings are discussed in relation to developing a scalable interrogation protocol for future research in this area.
authors.affiliation: Human Systems Integration Group, Coventry University, UK. Electronic address: alex.stedmon@coventry.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Alex W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Stedmon
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, Psychology and Public Health, University of Salford, UK.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Eachus
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: Les
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baillie
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: Huw
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tallis
authors.affiliation: Human Factors Research Group, University of Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Donkor
authors.affiliation: Human Factors Research Group, University of Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Edlin-White
authors.affiliation: Human Factors Research Group, University of Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bracewell
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D008192:Deception; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism; D007407:Interviews as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D049049:Pheromones, Human / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D012107:Research Design; D056152:Respiratory Rate; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012637:Security Measures; D012881:Skin Temperature; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D013542:Sweat / Q000737:chemistry*; D013637:Tape Recording; D023481:Terrorism / Q000517:prevention & control; D014741:Video Recording; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D049049:Pheromones, Human; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Deception; Hostile reconnaissance; Terrorism