NCJ Number
104428
Journal
Polygraph Volume: 15 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1986) Pages: 183-194
Date Published
1986
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This study did not support the polygraph guilty-knowledge test's assumption that subjects with guilty knowledge will be found guilty by the test regardless of their actual guilt or innocence.
Abstract
Subjects were 40 male and female introductory psychology students. Subjects were divided into five groups of eight. Prior to a polygraph examination, three groups of 'innocent' subjects were given the same crime-relevant information as members of a group 'guilty' of a mock crime. The 'innocent' subjects either witnessed the crime, were told the crime details, or performed 'innocent' activities involving crime-relevant information. An additional group of 'innocent' subjects had no crime-relevant information. Analysis of the guilty-knowledge test results showed that the detection scores of 'guilty' subjects were higher than those in any of the 'innocent' groups. With the exception of the group performing 'innocent' activities, the 'innocent' crime-informed subjects did not differ in their test results from the uninformed group. Thus, polygraph subjects may possess crime-relevant information without displaying the symptoms of a 'guilty' subject on the polygraph test. 1 table and 6 references. (Author abstract modified)