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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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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