answersLogoWhite

0

Polygraphs

A polygraph, or lie detector, is a machine that measures certain types of bio data, such as a person's heart rate, during a series of questioning. The results of this data is believed to reflect the person's measure of honesty while giving their answers.

500 Questions

What materials are used to make a lie detector?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

A lie detector, also known as a polygraph, typically consists of various components. The main materials used include sensors or electrodes to measure physiological responses like heart rate and sweat production, ink or paper to record these responses, and wiring to connect the sensors to the recording device. Additionally, lie detectors often include a blood pressure cuff and a breathing tube to monitor additional physiological cues.

Can a pathological liar pass a polygraph test?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

It is possible for a pathological liar to pass a polygraph test. Polygraph tests measure physiological responses like heart rate and breathing, which can be affected by anxiety or stress. A skilled liar may be able to control their physiological responses to appear truthful during the test. Therefore, polygraph tests are not foolproof and can be manipulated.

What should you do when your friend asks you to go through a lie detector test?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

If your friend asks you to go through a lie detector test, it's important to consider your boundaries and personal comfort level. You have the right to decline if you are not comfortable with the idea. Openly communicate your concerns and reasons for not wanting to participate, and suggest alternative ways to address the issue or build trust between you and your friend.

Where can one find more information about lie detectors?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

More information about lie detectors can be found from reputable sources such as government websites, academic research papers, and psychology publications. Some organizations, such as the American Psychological Association or the American Polygraph Association, may provide information and resources about lie detectors and their use. Additionally, books and articles written by experts in the field can offer in-depth knowledge on the topic.

Can you deny a polygraph test after agreeing to one?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

Yes, you can change your mind and deny taking a polygraph test even if you previously agreed to it. It is your right to refuse any form of testing or questioning. It is important to consult with legal counsel or seek advice before making a decision as there may be implications depending on the context or circumstances surrounding the test.

Proper attachment of polygraph machine in human body?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

A polygraph machine, commonly known as a lie detector, is not attached directly to the human body. Instead, various sensors are attached to different parts of the body. Typically, these include pneumographic tubes around the upper chest, fingerplates to measure skin conductance, and a blood pressure cuff on the arm. These sensors allow the machine to detect physiological changes that may occur when a person is lying.

Can a schizophrenic pass a lie detector?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

Some can.

Sometimes sociopaths (antisocial personality disorder) can lie but still pass a lie detector test, but the reason isn't because they're experienced liars, but because feel little or no guilt about deceiving people, so they register few biological stress indicators.

"Compulsive liar" isn't a mental health diagnosis, but a descriptive term for someone who lies habitually, regardless of the reason. While some of these people may be sociopaths, many more are people who experience guilt, anxiety, fear and other feelings related to their deceptions that would make it virtually impossible for them to fool a polygraph examiner.

Where to buy a used polygraph?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

Polygraph or 'lie detector' machines is a technology is that is still not generally liked or trusted technology. Trained, experienced people make a living from polygraph use is still hard. Talking with some who are already working in the field would be best able to help you

Are polygraphs admissable in court?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

Although the use of polygraph results as evidence in court is regularly challenged - it IS a useful tool and is used in the preliminary stage of many criminal investigations.

Pros and Cons of polygraph examinations in the investigative process?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

Polygraph results have consistently been held by the courts to be inadmissible at trial. There are some jurisdictions that allow them under limited circumstances, but in most jurisdictions they are per se inadmissible. The science has not been proven to be reliable, even under the most lenient standards, and the danger of unfair prejudice (confusing and misleading the jury) greatly outweighs any probative value. Every so often a defense attorney will have a client that passes a polygraph, or a co-defendant or third party that fails a polygraph, and they want desperately for the jury to hear these polygraph results. I have had both situations and have used the polygraph results in pre-trial negotiations, but resist the urge to ever ask a court to admit the results in front of a jury. This is a two-edged sword, and the government's side of the blade cuts deeper than the Defendant's. If the courts begin to admit polygraph examinations for defendants, they will surely begin to admit them for the government as well, and you can bet it would happen loud and often. What are the problems with polygraph examinations? First of all they are not reliable. Contrary to popular belief, they do not tell the examiner whether the subject is telling the truth or lying. They can indicate deception based on physiological reactions to the questions posed, but even an indication of deception or lack of deception can be skewed by an individual's physiology or the bias of the examiner. Some people are inherently nervous, and others are unshakable. Some people can control their physical reactions. My biggest problem with polygraph examinations by the government is that they are often nothing more than an interrogation tool. While polygraph results are not admissible in court, statements made by the defendant during the course of the examination probably are admissible. A common tactic is to wire up the subject, begin questioning him or her, tell them that the machine proves that they are lying, and then continue interrogation of the subject until a confession is obtained. Often clients insist that they want to take a polygraph for the government, to prove their innocence. And I don't blame them - it may be that they know that they are innocent, and they are convinced, like most people, that polygraphs are infallible lie detector tests that will prove their innocence to the police or the prosecutors. They don't understand that 1) under the best of circumstances the machines are not 100% reliable, and 2) in the eyes of an FBI agent, SLED agent or investigator for the local sheriff's department, they are guilty and the polygraph is nothing more than a tool to obtain additional evidence. This is not to say that polygraphs are not useful, because they are. We use respected independent polygraph examiners in some cases, where a client insists on a polygraph, but rarely will we consent to allow a government polygraph/interrogation. If the results from the independent polygraph examination show no deception, we will allow the government's examiner to review the charts and discuss the interview with the independent examiner. If the results are not favorable (this does not necessarily mean that the person is guilty), the government does not need to know about it and they do not then have the opportunity to interrogate the client.

Do polygraphs work?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

Yes, there are a few methods which have been used to cheat on polygraph tests. The most common method is the 'Tack in the Shoe', where the person being polygraphed places a tack in their shoe, and whenever asked a question, they could step their heel on the tack and then answer the question falsely, as the lie is masked by the pain of the tack inside the person's heel.

What are the parts of a polygraph machine and functions?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

There are three parts of a polygraph machine. They are:

  • the cardio-sphygmograph consisting of a blood pressure cuff placed on the arm that remains inflated during the test - measures blood pressure and heart rate
  • the pneumograph consisting of two tubes filled with air, one placed around the chest and the other placed around the abdomen - measures respiratory rate
  • the galvanograph which consists of electrical sensors attached to the fingertips - records the amount of perspiration produced

What does polygraph mean?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

An instrument for multiplying copies of a writing; a manifold writer; a copying machine., In bibliography, a collection of different works, either by one or several authors., An instrument for detecting deceptive statements by a subject, by measuring several physiological states of the subject, such as pulse, heartbeat, and sweating. The instrument records these parameters on a strip of paper while the subject is asked questions designed to elicit emotional responses when the subject tries to deceive the interrogator. Also called lie detector

Is a lie detector 99.9 percent accurate?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

No. They can be fooled which is why they are not admissible as evidence in a court of law (at least in the US)

Do you have to pass a polygraph test for the police application?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

YES!! but it depends on the town your in if its really small no but they might make you go to the academy in the nearest town and then yes you will have to they ask the most messed up questions...

Why was the lie detector invented?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

to see if people were lying

What does a lie detector do?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

A lie detector is designed to detect the small changes in your body when you lie, as opposed to when you tell the truth. For most people, a deliberate lie will cause stress in the nervous system, and this may be seen as changes in pulse rate, breathing, or sweating. More complex instruments (such as an EEG) can detect the changes in the nerve impulses directly, but are harder to interpret.

Can employers force polygraph testing?

User Avatar

Asked by Bobigc

To check if they are as dumb as the 1 asking this q.

How long does a polygraph test take?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

A polygraph test is commonly called a 'lie detector'. The passage of time would not affect your chance of passing the test. The test measures skin response, heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, etc., to judge whether you are lying. If you know you are lying, then there is little difference between a day and a year. Your reaction will be the same.

This is very different from a blood, urine, hair, etc. test.

How accurate is polygraph test?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

The answer to this question lies somewhere between "completely foolproof" and "worthless," depending on who you ask.

Polygraphs measure changes in respiration, heart rate, blood pressure and galvanic skin response (perspiration, basically) as the subject is asked a series of questions. The theory is that subjects will experience stress when trying to conceal information, and that the stress will be reflected in their physiological measurements.

Even the most outspoken proponents of the polygraph agree that the skill and integrity of the operator are critical to a reliable polygraph exam. Almost anyone can learn the mechanics of how to operate a polygraph, but the best polygraph examiners are also expert interrogators. They set the stage so that the subject is encouraged to believe that any attempt to lie will be discovered immediately, so there's no point in trying to beat the test. When subjects "confess" and recant a prior exculpatory statement, it's far more common for this to happen during a pre-exam or post-exam interview than during the test itself.

There are no consistent standards for polygraph operators. Some states have requirements for people seeking licenses as polygraph examiners, but a person who performs polygraph exams as an employee of a business or for a government agency may not require a license, so long as he doesn't ofter his services to the public at large. Since a subject is seldom privy to the credentials of the examiner, he takes the exam at his own peril.

There is another type of "lie detector," called a Computerized Voice Stress Analyzer or CVSA. These devices measure "microtremors" in the test subject's voice that are claimed to indicate deception. The time required to become certified as a CVSA operator is far less than the weeks of training for a polygraph course, and it is offered only to employees of organizations that have purchased CVSAs.

Scientific tests of the CVSA indicate that the device is no more reliable at detecting deception than the flip of a coin. Polygraph evaluations don't fare a lot better in these tests, but there is some documented science behind it.

In what cases are polygraphs used?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

One legit angle might be cases involving memory loss from automobile or other accidents which may have taken human life- so-called Vehicular homicides. they usually call in Pyschiatrists and there is always the possibility the person being tested may be faking amnesia ( memory blot outs or loss). Another possibility is the test subject may be in fear for their own life ( from accident) and will tell the police anything they want to hear- to get them off their back- nerves, or whatever. there are balancing acts between Police fact-finding and medical compassion. if the test subject is drunk- well you know Sarge, I was coming down the Boulevard and I saw this huge Pink Dinosaur and I put on the brakes, but... oh boy.