Ž . International Journal of Psychophysiology 36 2000 19 Fast track article Detection of feigned recognition memoryimpairment using the old neweffect of the event-related potential Hilarie P. Tardif a , Robert J. Barry a,  , Allison M. Fox b , Stuart J. Johnstone a a Department of Psychology, Uni  ersity of Wollongong, Northfields A enue, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia b Department of Psychology, Uni  ersity of Western Australia, Nedlands, 6907, Australia Received 29 October 1999; received in revised form 17 January 2000; accepted 18 January 2000 Abstract Twenty-four undergraduate university students with no known neurological disorders completed the Recognition Ž . Memory Test Warrington, A., 1984. Recognition Memory Test manual. Windsor, Berkshire: NFER-Nelson. while Ž . event-related potentials ERPs were recorded. Twelve subjects were instructed to feign a recognition memorydeficit Ž . malingering group , while the remainder served as controls. The malingerers performed poorlyon the test compared to the control group. The ‘oldnew effect’, an ERP measure thought to reflect recognition memory processes, did not differ between the groups, indicating recognition of previously learned material in the malingering group despite poor test performance. The study also revealed a second, early, oldnew effect, maximal at left frontal sites in the malingering relative to the control group, suggesting task-related processing differences between the two groups. These effects appear to be of potential value in the detection of malingering of cognitive impairment in the clinical situation.  2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Event-related potentials; Oldnew effect; Malingered amnesia; Recognition memory  Corresponding author. Tel.: 61-2-4221-3742; fax: 61-2-4221-4163. Ž . E-mail address: robert barry@uow.edu.au R.J. Barry 0167-876000$ - see front matter  2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Ž . PII: S0167-8760 00 00083-0