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Understanding Polygraph Lie Detection

A polygraph machine measures physiological responses like blood pressure, pulse, respiration and skin conductivity when a subject answers questions to determine if their responses indicate deception. It records involuntary body responses to questions from three systems - respiratory, cardiovascular and sweat glands. However, the accuracy of polygraph tests is controversial as physiological reactions don't prove deception on their own, as innocent people can feel nervous and guilty people remain calm.

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John Jarden G. Ferrer
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9 views1 page

Understanding Polygraph Lie Detection

A polygraph machine measures physiological responses like blood pressure, pulse, respiration and skin conductivity when a subject answers questions to determine if their responses indicate deception. It records involuntary body responses to questions from three systems - respiratory, cardiovascular and sweat glands. However, the accuracy of polygraph tests is controversial as physiological reactions don't prove deception on their own, as innocent people can feel nervous and guilty people remain calm.

Uploaded by

John Jarden G. Ferrer
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

A polygraph, popularly referred to as a lie detector, measures and

records several physiological indices such as blood pressure, pulse,


respiration, and skin conductivity while the subject is asked and answers
a series of questions. The belief underpinning the use of the polygraph is
that deceptive answers will produce physiological responses that can be
differentiated from those associated with non-deceptive answers; the
polygraph is one of several devices used for lie detection.
A polygraph machine records the body's involuntary responses to an
examiner's questions in order to ascertain deceptive behavior. The test
measures physiological data from three or more systems of the human
body-generally the respiratory, cardiovascular, and sweat gland systemsbut not the voice.
The accuracy (i.e., validity) of polygraph testing has long been
controversial. An underlying problem is theoretical: 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.
If you're like most people, lying makes your heart race. It makes you
pant. It drives up your blood pressure and makes you drip sweat. A
polygraph machine detects lies by looking for signs of these
physiological changes.

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