Abstract
This study was the third in a series of investigations aimed at explaining inter-individual differences in the ability to detect digitally falsified videos known as ‘deepfakes’. This study’s predecessors revealed that characteristics associated with autism spectrum disorder and the disorder itself were influential of one’s ability to confidently detect deepfakes. The present work was an exploration of whether types of neurodivergence (namely mild cognitive impairment) similarly impact deepfake detection. To that end, fifty-six (30 who self-reported having been diagnosed with MCI and 26 who self-reported not having been diagnosed with MCI) completed a deepfake detection task. In a pattern similar to the previous ASD-related findings, the neurodivergent (MCI) group did not perform significantly differently than the neurotypical group but was significantly more confident in their judgements. Several qualifications of these findings, along with recommendations for extensions and practical implications of the work, are discussed.