Could a polygraph test be used to uncover repressed memories?

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I don’t have the firmest grasp on the way a polygraph functions, but I’ve just had this thought a lot.

Could a polygraph help people uncover repressed memories? For example if a person suspects they were being harmed as a child, but can’t remember details, could a polygraph help them get more answers? Like by asking specific questions maybe related to what a person suspects happened and detecting how they respond.

Or, is a polygraph only useful to detect truth/a lie about things someone is certain about and remembers fully?

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Anonymous 0 Comments

No, a polygraph can’t be used to help someone recover lost memories. The techniques you described will more likely cause someone to invent a memory that never happened.
Most of what a polygraph does is tell the operator if you’re nervous. It’s primarily used by law enforcement to intimidate suspects.

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