Polygraph Testing - Research Paper Example

Polygraphs Distinguishing truthfulness from lying with regard to crime detection has been an important activity of the mankind ever since the beginning of civilization and various types of techniques have been used for the verdict between truth and deception. One of the most significant technological advancements in lie detection in the contemporary world has been the use of polygraphs or lie detector which is used to measure the physiological indices of the convict. In a historical analysis of this lie detection system, it becomes lucid that polygraphy, which refers to the science of truth recognition on the basis of psycho-physiological analogues, has a history of barely hundred years, though it is widely used in the modern day environment. "A polygraph, or lie detector, is a machine that measures the physiological responses of an individual that accompany the verbal responses he or she makes to the direct questions of a polygraph operator." (Gatewood, Feild, and Barrick, 2007, p. 642). This method of lie detection is based mainly on the assumption that the physiological reaction of an individual which can be identified as external symptoms during the investigation process can determine the truthfulness of the matter. It is fundamental to realize at the outset that this method of lie detection is highly controversial and the scientists dealing with polygraph testing are deeply skeptical about the effectiveness of this technique in lie detection and security systems. As Thomas J. Gardner and Terry M. Anderson maintain, "polygraph is very controversial. Persons who oppose the use of lie detector tests refer to them as degrading and humiliating. The late U.S. Senator Sam Ervin called the tests 'twentieth century witchcraft'. On the other hand, defense lawyer F Lee Bailey testified before the U.S. Congress in 1986 that polygraph tests are 'useful investigative tools' and that when 'properly run in good hands, it is a good test'." (Gardner and Anderson, 2009, p. 259). Therefore, there are several essential controversies concerning the effectiveness of polygraph testing in the detection of lie and most of the scientists in the area of polygraph testing are cynical about the usefulness of the method. This paper makes a reflective exploration of the various factors concerning polygraph testing, including its history, effectiveness, scientific validity, controversial elements, etc. A profound analysis of the history of polygraph testing reveals that this scientific approach which is used in the detection of deception has a history of more than hundreds years and it was used in the 18th Century. There have been several important studies on fear, heart actions, respiration etc which contributed to the development of polygraph test as part of criminal investigations. Significantly, human beings have always tried to develop techniques to detect lie and determine truth, as it is common to them to deceive each other. Interviews and interrogations are part of such techniques to find deception and new techniques of lie detection emerged in the course of time. "In the 20th century, lie detection took on scientific aspects with the development of techniques that use measures of physiological responses as indicators of deception. The best known of these is the polygraph. This technique, which relies on physiological measurements developed early in the century, has become for many in the U.S. law enforcement and intelligence communities (including counterintelligence officials in the several agencies) the valued method for identifying criminals, spies, and saboteurs when direct evidence is lacking." (Committee to Review the Scientific Evidence on the Polygraph, 2003, p. 11). Therefore, it is essential to comprehend that the polygraph test method for lie detection has acquired general acceptance over a short period of time and it has become one of the most defining techniques of determining the truthfulness of a matter. However, there have also been several controversies and cynicism about the scientific reliability and validity of this system of lie detection, which ultimately make many to question the authenticity of the method in crime detection. Thus, the polygraph testing method has become the topic of great deal of scientific and public controversy in various parts of the world, in the U.S. in particular. Since 1983, when a report by the U.S. Office of Technology Assessment came up with a report examining the validity of the method of lie detection, there raised several criticisms against the authenticity of the polygraph. As a result, the Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988 stridently limited the use of polygraphs in employment setting, mainly due to doubts concerning the validity of the test for screening. "Different courts have different sets of rules about the admissibility of polygraph evidence and even about what test must be met for such evidence to be considered admissible. Many people find polygraph testing objectionable, and there are several websites and organizations that are devoted to discrediting the polygraph." (Committee to Review the Scientific Evidence on the Polygraph, 2003, p. 12). In an analysis of the use of polygraph test as evidence for lie detection, it is important to recognize that people cannot be ordered to take a polygraph test for detecting lies, because the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. constitution safeguards their rights against such self-incrimination. In the same way, the defendant charged with a crime cannot request for the use of polygraph test in order to prove his or her innocence before the court of law. Thus, the legal validity of the polygraph test as lie detecting technique is largely limited and the scientists and legal authorities dealing with this method continually question the validity of the technique. However, the polygraph test is widely used in the U.S. today and it is often reported than more than a million polygraph tests are carried out in the country every year, many of which are done by the private companies while some are administered by the legal authorities. Several states in the nation entirely forbid the polygraph evidence and put severe restrictions on the use of this technique in criminal or civil trails. "The reasons generally given by states for forbidding polygraph evidence entirely, or for placing severe restrictions on the use of polygraph evidence in criminal or civil trials are: A belief that polygraph results are not sufficiently reliable and trustworthy, The tendency of juries to rely too heavily on the report of the polygraph examiners who appear as 'expert' witness in criminal or civil cases and testify whether persons taking lie detector tests were truthful or not truthful, The inability of trial courts to judge the competency of polygraph examiners." (Gardner and Anderson, 2009, p. 259). Therefore, it is fundamental to realize that the use of polygraph test in lie detection is largely questioned by the scholars and the public, mainly because of the lack of reliability and validity of the technique. A general understanding of the controversy over polygraph testing validity confirms that ever since the development of polygraph techniques it has raised serious questions about its validity. It is important to realize that polygraph examinations have been used to ascertain culpability of criminal suspects as well as to maintain the honesty of employees. It has been widely used in the U.S. in spite of the large-scale controversies concerning its validity. "Polygraph examinations have, at the same time, been criticized for providing inaccurate and misleading information, for failing to detect security risks, for interfering with the rights of private citizens, and for lowering employees' morale. At the center of the controversy over the use of polygraph examinations is the question of its validity: does a polygraph examination actually identify truthful and non-truthful individuals" (Scientific validity of polygraph testing: a research review and evaluation. 1983, p. 29). Therefore, it is important to recognize that the use of polygraph testing has raised serious questions about the validity and effectiveness of the testing. In conclusion, a reflective exploration of the history, effectiveness, scientific validity, controversial elements, etc of polygraph testing indicates that the technological advancements in the detection of lie through the technique of polygraph testing have been widely used in the determination of truth, in spite of the various controversies about its scientific validity and effectiveness. References Committee to Review the Scientific Evidence on the Polygraph. 2003. The polygraph and lie detection. National Academies Press. p. 11. Gardner, Thomas J. and Anderson, Terry M. (2009). Criminal Evidence: Principles and Cases. Cengage Learning. p. 259. Gatewood, Robert D., Feild, Hubert S., and Barrick, Murray R. Human Resource Selection. Cengage Learning. p. 642. Scientific validity of polygraph testing: a research review and evaluation. 1983. Washington D.C.: DIANE Publishing. p. 29. Read More