NCJ Number
28221
Journal
American Psychologist Dated: (OCTOBER 1974) Pages: 725-739
Date Published
1974
Length
15 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE, INTENDED FOR PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGISTS, ANALYZED THE ASSUMPTIONS UNDERLYING LIE DETECTION, THE METHODS OF POLYGRAPHIC INTERROGATION, AND EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE OF LIE DETECTOR VALIDITY.
Abstract
ALSO COVERED IS THE USE OF LIE DETECTORS IN EMPLOYMENT SCREENING AND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION. THE EXISTENCE OF TWO FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT METHODS OF POLYGRAPHIC INTERROGATION - LIE DETECTION AND THE GUILTY KNOWLEDGE TEST - IS EMPHASIZED. LIE DETECTION IS DEFINED AS ANY INTERROGATION TECHNIQUE THAT INVOLVES ASKING THE SUBJECT ONE OR MORE RELEVANT QUESTIONS AND THEN ATTEMPTING TO DETERMINE WHETHER HIS ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS OR IS NOT DECEPTIVE. THE GUILTY KNOWLEDGE TEST (GKT) IS INTENDED TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE SUBJECT IS AWARE OF CERTAIN INFORMATION. THE AUTHOR MAINTAINS THAT THE GKT APPEARS TO HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR VERY HIGH VALIDITY IN THE RESTRICTED NUMBER OF CRIMINAL CASES WHERE IT IS APPLICABLE, COULD NOT BE USEFULLY ADAPTED TO EMPLOYEE SCREENING, AND SEEMS TO BE UNKNOWN TO PROFESSIONAL POLYGRAPHERS OR RESEARCHERS. HE ADDS THAT, ANALYSIS OF THE ASSUMPTIONS UNDERLYING LIE DETECTION INDICATED THAT, WHILE THESE METHODS MIGHT BE EXPECTED TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT VALIDITY, THE A PRIORI PROBABILITY IS SMALL THAT THE LIE DETECTOR COULD BE AS DEPENDABLE AS THE PROFESSIONALS CLAIM (90-100 PERCENT), ESPECIALLY WITH THE LACK OF SUPPORTING EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE. IN ADDITION, SINCE IN THE PREEMPLOYMENT SCREENING SITUATION WHERE A HIGH PROPORTION OF THOSE WHO 'FAIL' WILL BE FALSE-POSITIVES AND WHERE THE LIE TEST TYPICALLY DETERMINES DISPOSITION OF THE CASE (JOB OR NO JOB), THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT THE GENERAL USE OF THE LIE DETECTOR SHOULD BE OPPOSED. HOWEVER, JUDICIOUS USE OF THE POLYGRAPH IN CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS IS VIEWED AS IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF POLICE WORK. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.