Polygraph Reliability and Validity
The validity and reliability of polygraph testing has been a subject of debate since such testing was first implemented almost a century ago (OTA, 1983, par. 1). Abundant research has been done on modern polygraph machines and techniques that has served to validate their use and their accuracy, however controversy still remains in the minds of many (Gougler et al., 2011, 196-201). One way to go about determining the reliability and validity of a polygraph machine would, of course, be to look at the research that has been conducted on the machine previously if available, as it truly takes years and abundant study to ensure these features to a degree worthy of scientific scrutiny (Gougler et al., 2011; 197). Assuming such research is unavailable or is untrustworthy, however, there are other more direct methods that can be employed to effectively determine how valid and reliable a polygraph is.
Validity is a measure of how well the polygraph measures what it is supposed to measure, and reliability is a measure of how consistent the polygraph is. To determine both validity and reliability, multiple tests will need to be performed with subjects that are both known to be telling the truth on certain elements and known to be lying on others (or perhaps some subjects only tell the truth, while others lie after base-line measurements are taken (Gougler et al., 2011, 196-8). If the polygraph is able to consistently differentiate lies from truths across the research population and above a selected confidence or probability point (approximately 90% seems to be the standard, according to Gougler et al. (2011, 200)), then it can be considered valid and reliable. It will be valid because it measures what it was intended to measure -- falsehood or lies -- and reliable because it will be consistent, as shown in continued success in repeated efforts.
References
Gougler, M., Nelson, R., Handler, M., Krapohl, D., Shaw, P. & Bierman, L. (2011). Executive Summary of the Meta-Analytic Survey of Criterion Accuracy of Validated Polygraph Techniques. Accessed 16 March 2012. http://www.polygraph.org/files/executive_summary_meta_analytic_survey_apa_2012.pdf
OTA. (1983). Scientific Validity of Polygraph Testing: A Research Review and Evaluation. Accessed 16 March 2012. http://www.fas.org/sgp/othergov/polygraph/ota/contro.html
Polygraph There has always been a search for a way in the social order regarding the degree of truthfulness or dishonesty in an individual. History reveals that there has been almost a universal constant endeavor to uncover the falsehood and know the truth. The Ancient Chinese, Arabs and Indians are known to have used methods from torture to duel fight for obtaining the truth and distinguish innocent and guilty (White Jr.,
Public policy makers in general and the police agency in particular should refrain from using the polygraph test in their selection of employees, particularly since, at worst, they may end up including potential robbers and murderers as part of their organization. The purpose of the followign study is to evalaute these conclusions by investigating the efficacy of polygraph tests in assessing police candidates Source Brett, a. Phillips, M., & Beary, J (1986)PREDICTIVE
In order to address the issues, efforts would be made towards the creation of stress free interviews and the preservation of objectivity. c) the psychological interview The psychological interview is characterized by assessment of the mental state of the individual. It is usually constructed based on standards of psychological testing and the results are interpreted by a specialist. d) the interview with the top management Finally, the interview with the top management would
There are three types of stimuli used, which are: 1) Targets; 2) Irrelevant; and 3) Probes. These are used "in the form of words, pictures, or sounds..." which a computer presents for a second or even a partial second. Incoming stimulus, if it is worth noting, results in a P-300, which is an electrical brain response. The P-300 is part of a MERMER or a memory and encoding related multifaceted electroencephalographic response,
Creswell, 2009). Given the range of resources that will come under study in this research, a meta-analysis is not readily applicable. Typically, with a retrospective study of this scale, more research is discarded than retained for analysis. Further, a number of large studies have been conducted on this general topic, including research commissioned by Congress ("CNSTAT," 2003; OTA," 1983). Using a descriptive research approach, the researcher will utilize primary
Disadvantages of fMRI lshani Ganguli (2007), Harvard University, asserts in the article, "Watching the Brain Lie," that fMRI lie detection does not yet merit a place in the courtroom or elsewhere. Kanwisher stresses: "No published studies come even close to demonstrating the kind of lie detection that would be useful in a real world situation." In addition, according to Ganguli (2007), a number of various types of lies exist that include omissions,
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now