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Related Experiment Videos

Science and the CQT polygraph. A theoretical critique.

L Saxe1

  • 1Heller School, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02215.

Integrative Physiological and Behavioral Science : the Official Journal of the Pavlovian Society
|July 1, 1991
PubMed
Summary

Polygraph tests, particularly the Control Question Technique, are used despite evidence they lack validity. These tests measure fear, not deception, making accurate validation impossible.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Forensic Science
  • Physiology

Background:

  • Polygraph tests for deception detection are widely used in the United States.
  • There is substantial scientific evidence questioning the validity of polygraph tests.
  • The Control Question Technique is a common method employed in polygraph examinations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically evaluate the construct validity of polygraph tests, specifically the Control Question Technique.
  • To examine whether polygraph tests accurately assess deception or merely elicit fear.
  • To explore the feasibility of other physiological detection paradigms.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of existing scientific evidence regarding polygraph test validity.
  • Examination of the theoretical underpinnings of the Control Question Technique.
  • Consideration of alternative physiological detection methods.

Main Results:

  • Polygraph tests, including the Control Question Technique, lack construct validity.
  • These tests are designed to elicit and measure fear, not deception.
  • While fear may correlate with correct decisions, the inability to ascertain the cause of fear prevents validation.

Conclusions:

  • Polygraph tests are not a scientifically valid method for detecting deception.
  • The reliance on fear as a physiological indicator makes validation impossible.
  • Other physiological detection paradigms are unlikely to succeed due to the inherent nature of honesty.

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