The main aim of this research is to investigate the role of the executive functions in the lying activity and to identify the neural correlates of deception. A systematic review of the literature published on pubmed using ad hoc keywords linked to deception and executive control. Researches have shown that lying considerably challenge our cognitive capacities. Empirical evidences support the hypothesis that lying is cognitively more demanding than telling the truth. Studies support the notion that while lying: working memory enables to keep the truth active; inhibition response is required to suppress the dominant response (truth); shifting response is needed to flexibly shift between truthful and deceptive responses. Brain imaging studies consistently found higher activity of the prefrontal cortex and the inferior frontal gyrus while lying. In conclusion, prefrontal cortex is crucially linked to executive functions. Working memory, response inhibition and task switching seem to play a significant role in the deception. Deception researches largely ignored the cognitive cost of lying and further studies may be useful to investigate the role of task switching in deception.
Deception and executive functions
Graziella Orru
;Giuseppe Sartori
2017-01-01
Abstract
The main aim of this research is to investigate the role of the executive functions in the lying activity and to identify the neural correlates of deception. A systematic review of the literature published on pubmed using ad hoc keywords linked to deception and executive control. Researches have shown that lying considerably challenge our cognitive capacities. Empirical evidences support the hypothesis that lying is cognitively more demanding than telling the truth. Studies support the notion that while lying: working memory enables to keep the truth active; inhibition response is required to suppress the dominant response (truth); shifting response is needed to flexibly shift between truthful and deceptive responses. Brain imaging studies consistently found higher activity of the prefrontal cortex and the inferior frontal gyrus while lying. In conclusion, prefrontal cortex is crucially linked to executive functions. Working memory, response inhibition and task switching seem to play a significant role in the deception. Deception researches largely ignored the cognitive cost of lying and further studies may be useful to investigate the role of task switching in deception.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
