NCJ Number
80547
Date Published
1978
Length
36 pages
Annotation
This paper explores the role of orienting (OR) and defensive (DR) reflexes in diagnosing truth and deception in laboratory and field settings.
Abstract
Various theories of detection of deception are described and evaluated. The data are drawn from laboratory studies which used a mock-crime paradigm and field studies in which criminal suspects were examined about an actual crime which had occurred. Theoretical background is presented concerning techniques employed for detection of deception using a variety of automatic measures which included respiration rate and amplitude, skin conductance responses and recovery time, negative and positive skin potential, peripheral vasomotor activity, heart rate, and continuous measures of relative blood pressure. Assessments are made to determine which question techniques and automatic measures are useful in identifying truthful and deceptive subjects and to characterize the nature of the obtained responses. For cardiovascular and electrodermal activity, evidence is evaluated to determine the extent of occurrence of OR's and DR's. Interpretations are made regarding the psychological factors present in the detection of deception situations and the manner in which they function to produce OR's and DR's in response to specific types of stimuli. Tables, figures, a reference note, a footnote, and about 30 references are included. (Author abstract modified)