Like – if it’s based on a person’s physiological responses, isn’t it possible that a response to a question like “did you murder your hamster” would register as a lie due to the increase in heart rate and blood pressure cause of anxiety associated with being accused of something?
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It’s complete bullsht and based on the belief one has the machine will work. It’s a tool used by the people using them to achieve an end result…there is a reason they are no longer accepted as evidence in a court of law
Polygraphs are mostly nonsense; they simply test “stress” – and even then it’s interpreted by the examiner.
The only thing they really do are make guilty people feel scrutinized, with the hope that they’ll confess under the pressure.
They don’t, at all. It might as well be a Magic 8-Ball while the interrogator acts like it is science.
From the [AntiPolygraph.org](https://AntiPolygraph.org) home page:
The dirty little secret behind the polygraph is that the “test” depends on trickery, not science. The person being “tested” is not supposed to know that while the polygraph operator declares that all questions must be answered truthfully, warning that the slightest hint of deception will be detected, he secretly assumes that denials in response to certain questions — called “control” questions — will be less than truthful. An example of a commonly used control question is, “Did you ever lie to get out of trouble?” The polygrapher steers the examinee into a denial by warning, for example, that anyone who would do so is the same kind of person who would commit the kind of behavior that is under investigation and then lie about it. But secretly, it is assumed that everyone has lied to get out of trouble.
The polygraph tracings don’t do a special dance when a person lies. The polygrapher scores the test by comparing physiological responses (breathing, blood pressure, heart, and perspiration rates) to these probable-lie control questions with reactions to relevant questions such as, “Did you ever commit an act of espionage against the United States?” (commonly asked in security screening). If the former reactions are greater, the examinee passes; if the latter are greater, he fails. If responses to both “control” and relevant questions are about the same, the result is deemed inconclusive.
The test also includes irrelevant questions such as, “Are the lights on in this room?” The polygrapher falsely explains that such questions provide a “baseline for truth,” because the true answer is obvious. But in reality, they are not scored at all!They merely serve as buffers between pairs of relevant and “control” questions.
The simplistic methodology used in polygraph testing has no grounding in the scientific method: it is no more scientific than astrology or tarot cards. Government agencies value it because people who don’t realize it’s a fraud sometimes make damaging admissions. But as a result of reliance on this voodoo science, the truthful are often falsely branded as liars while the deceptive pass through.
Perversely,the “test” is inherently biased against the truthful, because the more honestly one answers the “control” questions, and as a consequence feels less stress when answering them, the more likely one is to fail. Conversely, liars can beat the test by covertly augmenting their physiological reactions to the “control” questions. This can be done,for example, by doing mental arithmetic, thinking exciting thoughts,altering one’s breathing pattern, or simply biting the side of the tongue. Truthful persons can also use these techniques to protect themselves against the risk of a false positive outcome. Although polygraph operators frequently claim they can detect such countermeasures, no polygrapher has ever demonstrated any ability to do so, and peer-reviewed research suggests that they can’t.
They don’t.
According to the American Psychological Association, “There is no evidence that any pattern of physiological reactions is unique to deception. An honest person may be nervous when answering truthfully and a dishonest person may be non-anxious.”
It has never actually been shown in a controlled test that a polygraph machine can detect lies. Even the creator of the machines stated that they were bunk. They’re purely a prop for interrogators.
People think I’m lying anytime they ask a super serious question. Like if someone asks “did you brush your teeth?” I’ll say yes, they’ll give me a hard stare and I can’t help but break out in a big grin. WHATS WRONG WITH ME?!
They don’t, which is why lie detector tests are considered pseudoscience and are inadmissible in courts of law.
Other commonly accepted pseudosciences:
– Chiropractic
– Magnet Therapy
– Accupuncture (some people might like the endorphin release, but evidence is weak for treatment of anything)
– Most of Chinese “medicine”
– Reflexology
Never under any circumstances take a lie detector test. It will never prove your innocence but will always be used against you if you fail. It is completely inaccurate and useless.
EDIT: Exception is if it’s required for a very high paying job.
They were invented by the guy who created Wonder Woman as a part of his male fantasies involving BDSM. They were snatched up by the FBI because they loved the idea…not because it was ever verified to work.
I volunteered to take polygraph tests as part of my Police Foundations course, so that they could teach newly polygraphers.
In our round of testing, they would give you 2 cards from a deck, and the administrator would have to figure out which 2 cards you had. (And you were encouraged to lie)
They would ask mundane questions, and then slip in questions like “is you card red, is your card a face card”.
They couldn’t get a good reading on me, and said that I either cope really well under pressure, or that what ever mental gymnastics I was doing was throwing off the readings.
In the main scenario, one of the group being tested was instructed to steal a wallet, while others witnessed or had 0 role to play.
I was a witness who was instructed to lie about not seeing the wallet.
The polygrapher could tell that I didn’t steal the wallet, but had no clue as to whether or not I actually witnessed the “crime”.
Pretty neat experience, albeit stressful considering they really try and make you feel bad about every little thing you have ever done in your life. (Pirating music/movies, watching porn, malicious thoughts)
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