You've probably seen this device before. This is a polygraph which is more popularly known as a lie detector.
But just how often it can catch you in a lie is debatable. Thousands of polygraphs are given each year in the U. S. alone for everything from government clearance screenings to witness verification.
And the power of these machine's results are not taken lightly. People have reportedly lost their jobs and reputations over a failed exam.
But how exactly does this machine work? And is it really as accurate as polygraph examiners claim?
To find out we decided to put the polygraph to the test ourselves. Do you understand I'll only ask you the questions that we discussed? - Yes.
Polygraph results haven't been accepted in most state courts since 1923 mainly because. . . The scientific research suggests that the polygraph has significant scientific problems.
That is, it may not give us the level of accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity that we think it will, and that could be problematic. Still, many defenders contest that even though the polygraph isn't 100% accurate, neither is DNA testing or eye witness testimonies.
Do you intend to answer each question truthfully? - Yes. Now, what the examiner may or may not know is I've already told my first lie.
So, what we are going to do is try and lie and see if she can detect the lie. There are gonna be questions that she asks me in different ways over the course of the exam and one of them I am going to deliberately lie on and see if she can figure it out.
Are you sitting down? - Yes. One of the ways you can manipulate the machine's results is by controlling your breathing, making sure you have calm breathing during the course of the exam.
