fMRI and Lie Detection

Abstract

Some studies have reported the ability to detect lies, with a high degree of accuracy, by analyzing brain data acquired using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). But is this new technology ready for its day in court?

This consensus knowledge brief from the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Law and Neuroscience takes a closer look at the potential and pitfalls of fMRI lie detection techniques, providing insight into the areas of the brain involved in lying, the impact of memory on deception, how countermeasures may foil our efforts to detect lies, and factors that can create cause for concern about experimental validity.

Keywords: lie detection, polygraph, memory, deception, evidence, neuroscience, law and neuroscience, neurolaw, brain, brain imaging, brain scan, neuroimaging, functional magnetic resonance imaging, fMRI, behavioral biology, cognitive neuroscience, cognitive psychology

JEL Classification: K14, K40, K42