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Lie Detection

The historical development of the polygraph began in 1895 using early blood pressure instruments to try to detect deception. Over time, instruments were developed to simultaneously record physiological indicators like blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity. The polygraph evolved into its modern form incorporating these multiple measures of the autonomic nervous system. There are different types of polygraph tests but they generally involve asking subjects questions and comparing their physiological responses to relevant, irrelevant, and comparison or control questions. The assumption is that liars or guilty individuals will exhibit greater arousal in response to crime-relevant questions. Admissibility of polygraph results in court varies between jurisdictions.

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Nikhilesh Mallick
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262 views19 pages

Lie Detection

The historical development of the polygraph began in 1895 using early blood pressure instruments to try to detect deception. Over time, instruments were developed to simultaneously record physiological indicators like blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity. The polygraph evolved into its modern form incorporating these multiple measures of the autonomic nervous system. There are different types of polygraph tests but they generally involve asking subjects questions and comparing their physiological responses to relevant, irrelevant, and comparison or control questions. The assumption is that liars or guilty individuals will exhibit greater arousal in response to crime-relevant questions. Admissibility of polygraph results in court varies between jurisdictions.

Uploaded by

Nikhilesh Mallick
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 PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Historical Development

 The first attempt to utilize a scientific instrument in an


effort to detect deception occurred around 1895.
 Lombroso.C, conducted experiments on actual criminal
suspects.
 Used instrument called Hydrosphygmograph (invented
and developed by other scientist for medical purposes)
 Deceptiveness determined on the basis of presence or
absence of Blood Pressure-Pulse change.
William Moulton Martson
 In 1915 he began his research in this area.
 His technique consisted essentially of the use of an
ordinary Sphygmomanometer (instrument used by
physicians in determining patient’s blood pressure)
 He also recorded respiration and noted the time of
subject’s verbal response.
 He also experimented with the galvanometer to record
skin resistance changes.
 John A Larson, 1921 constructed an instrument capable
of recording all three phenomenon –blood pressure,
pulse and respiration.
 Conducted test on number of criminal suspects and
reported high percentage of accuracy.
 In 1926 Leonarde Keeler constructed a more
satisfactory instrument and improved it in 1949.
 “Keeler Polygraphy ” included GSR or electrodermel
response.
 In 1947 Reid introduced a completely revised
Polygraph technique, the most significant feature
being the utilization of Control Questions.
Polygraph
 Not a lie detector
 Poly = many, graph = write
 Machine that records multiple continuous measures of
autonomic nervous system arousal
 Galvanic skin response (GSR)
 Thoracic and abdominal respiration
 Blood Pressure
 Heart rate
General Theory
 Arousal  Increased ANS (Autonomic Nervous
System)activity
 Sweating
 Respiration changes
 Vasoconstriction
 Pulse rate
 Blood pressure

 Specific patterns of arousal during questioning could indicate


guilt or lying
The Instrument
 Pneumatically operated mechanical recorder of
changes in BP, Pulse, Respiration supplemented with a
unit of recording the GSR.
 Phneumograph tubes (chest & abdomen).
 Blood Pressure cuff.
 Electrodes (index finger & ring finger).
Test Procedure
 Pretest Interview.
 Card Test.
 Preparation of Test Question.
 Relevant Questions
 Irrelevant Questions.
 Control Questions.
Basic factors underlying Deception
Responses
 Possible detection appears to be the principle factor
accounting for the physiological changes that are
recorded and interpreted as symptoms of detection.
 Consciousness of wrongdoing may serve as
contributing factors.
Assumption:
 A liar or guilty person will be more aroused by relevant
questions than Irrelevant ones, while an innocent
person will show no difference
 So, if arousal(relevant) > arousal(irrelevant) = lying
Type
 Comparison Question Test
 Directed Lie Test
 Concealed Information Test
Comparison/ Control Question Test
 Most common method of polygraph interrogation
 Developed by John Reid
 Begins with extensive pre-test interview
 Three kinds of questions:
 1. Relevant
 E.g. “Did you kill Nicole Brown Simpson”
 2. Control/Comparison (aka probable lie)
 E.g. “Have you ever stolen something”
 3. Irrelevant
 Is your name Mr. X?
 Assumption:
 A liar become more aroused by lying to the relevant questions
than the control questions.
 An innocent person will be more aroused by the comparison
questions.
 Arousal(relevant) > Arousal(comparison) = guilty
Direct Lie Test
 Same kind of questions as CQT, only subject is
instructed to lie to all the control questions.

 Assumption:
 Guilty person will show more arousal lying to relevant
questions.
 Innocent person will show more arousal lying to control
questions.
CIT (Guilty Knowledge Test)
 Developed by David Lykken in 1958
 Rather than trying to detect arousal caused by lying, tries to detect
arousal from recognition of “guilty knowledge” from the “orienting
response”
 Multiple-choice (serially presented) questions where the
investigator knows the correct answer
Eg. What was the weapon used to kill Mr. X?”
.

Candlestick
Rope
Revolver
Lead Pipe
Knife
Wrench
Assumption:
 A guilty person’s arousal will increase upon
recognizing the correct alternative due to involuntary
orienting response.
 Innocent person will not be able to discern the correct
alternative from the others.
Admissibility
 Is Polygraph Test admissible in the courts?
NHRC Guidelines for conducting
the Polygraph Test (2000)
 No Lie Detector Tests should be administered except on the
basis of consent of the accused. An option should be given
to the accused whether he wishes to avail such test.
 If the accused volunteers for a Lie Detector Test, he should
be given access to a lawyer and the physical, emotional and
legal implication of such a test should be explained to him
by the police and his lawyer.
 The consent should be recorded before a Judicial
Magistrate.
 During the hearing before the Magistrate, the person
alleged to have agreed should be duly represented by a
lawyer.
 At the hearing, the person in question should also be told
in clear terms that the statement that is made shall not be a
‘confessional’ statement to the Magistrate but will have the
status of a statement made to the police.
 The Magistrate shall consider all factors relating to the
detention including the length of detention and the nature
of the interrogation.
 The actual recording of the Lie Detector Test shall be done
in an independent agency (such as a hospital) and
conducted in the presence of a lawyer.
 A full medical and factual narration of manner of the
information received must be taken on record.

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