Verifiability on the run: an experimental study on the verifiability approach to malingered symptoms

Several studies on the verifiability approach found that truth-tellers report more verifiable details than liars. Therefore, we wanted to test whether such a difference would emerge in the context of malingered symptoms. We obtained statements from undergraduates (N D 53) who had been allocated to t...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Boskovic, Irena, Tejada Gallardo, Claudia, Vrij, Aldert, Hope, Lorraine, Merckelbach, Harald
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2018
Country:España
Institution:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repository:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:10459.1/71066
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1080/13218719.2018.1483272
http://hdl.handle.net/10459.1/71066
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Deception detection
Malingering
Symptoms
Verifiability approach
Description
Summary:Several studies on the verifiability approach found that truth-tellers report more verifiable details than liars. Therefore, we wanted to test whether such a difference would emerge in the context of malingered symptoms. We obtained statements from undergraduates (N D 53) who had been allocated to three different conditions: truth-tellers, coached malingerers and na ıve malingerers. Truth-tellers carried out an intensive physical exercise and after a short interval wrote a report about their experience and elicited symptoms. The two malingering groups had to fabricate a story about the physical activity and its symptoms. Truth-tellers did not generate more verifiable details than malingerers. However, malingerers reported more non-verifiable details than truth-tellers. Coached and na ıve malingerers did not differ in this respect. Relative to truth-tellers, na ıve malingerers reported more symptoms-related nonverifiable details, while coached malingerers reported more exercise-related non-verifiable details. Focusing on non-verifiable details may inform the detection of malingered symptoms.