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LESSON III

BASIC CONCEPTS

What is Polygraphy? It is the scientific method of detecting

deception with the use of a polygraph instrument. This is the new name of LIE DETECTION.

What is a Polygraph? It is a scientific diagnostic instrument used

to record physiological changes in the blood pressure, pulse rate, respiration and skin resistance of an
examinee under controlled condition.

What is Lie Detector? It is the popular but misleading name of the Polygraph. In Greek, Polygraph means
“many writings” and the instrument was so named because it make various ink recordings of a person’s
body functions.
What is the other name of the Polygraph?
It is also called “Truth Verifier” since statistics show that is the vast majority of the instances the
instrument verifies an innocent person’s truthfulness.

What are the Concepts of Polygraph Examination?

1. Used to test an individual for the purpose of detecting deception or verify the truth of
statement
2. Records identifiable physiological reactions of the subject, such as; blood pressure, pulse
rate, respiration and skin resistance.
3. The effectiveness of the polygraph in recording symptoms of deceptions is based on the
theory that a conscious mental effort on the part of a normal person to deceive causes
involuntary physiological changes that are in effect a body’s reaction to an imminent danger
to its well-being.

What are the objectives of a Polygraph Examination?

1. Obtain additional investigation leads to the facts of the case/offenses.
2. Ascertain if a person is telling the truth
3. Locate the fruits or tools of the crime or whereabouts of wanted persons.
4. Identify other persons involved.
5. Obtain valuable information form reluctant witnesses
6. Eliminate the innocent suspects.

What are the Principal uses of the polygraph?

1. Aid in investigation
2. Speeds up processing of investigation
3. Eliminates innocent suspects
4. Pre-employment screening
5. Honesty test (Periodic test)

PHASES OF POLYGRAPH EXAMINATION

PHASE I – initial interview with the investigator handling the case

It is essential for the examiner to obtain accurate information concerning all the available
photographs, a crime scene sketch prepared by the investigator is preferred. Unless the examiner is fully
informed about the case, he will not be in the position to conduct a sufficient pretest interview with the
subject. It is during this phase that the relevant, irrelevant, control and sometimes the guilt complex
question are formulated. It is also helpful for the examiner to know as much about the subject and his

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background as is available. Such information facilitates the pre-test interview as well as post test
interrogation of a lying subject.
PHASE II – Pre-test Interview

The examiner pre-test interview with the subject prior to the test is considered essential
both for the purpose of conditioning the subject for the examination and also to provoke and observe
indications of guilt or innocence. The examiner should not hold back any information from the subjects
about the instrument its attachment or recording. This will serve to increase a lying subject concerned
over possible detection.
The examiner should be friendly to the subjects but reserve during the pre-test interview.
No accusatory approach is made in this phase. The subject himself is usually the best source information
about his behavior.
The primary purpose of the pre-test interview is to prepare or condition the subject for test.
This phase includes:
1. The appraisal of subject’s constitutional right.
2. Obtain subject’s consent to undergo polygraph test by signing statement of consent.
3. The talking of personal data of the subject.
4. Determine his suitability as a subject.
5. Evaluating the psychological preparation of the subject.
6. Informing the subject of his involvement of the case.

PHASE III – The conduct of Instrumentation or Actual Test

After the pre-test interview the examiner should proceed to place the attachment of polygraph
components on the subject. In practice the first to be attached is the Pneumograph, followed by
Cardiosphymograph and the Galvanograph. Review all the questions being prepared with the subject
before the actual examination is made. The examiner should discourage any lengthy comments or
statement by the subject respecting the matter of incident under
investigation or his disclaimer of responsibility for it.
Test instruction is given to the subject. Any movement of the body will have an effect on the
results on the chart paper. The answer of the subject is limited to YES or NO in order to
Avoid distortion of tracing on the chart.
PHASE IV – Post test interview/Interrogation

This phase includes all consideration that bears on the examination just after the instrument are
turned off. If there are significant fluctuations that show up on the polygraph test result this may signal that
the subject has been deceptive, especially if the person displayed similar responses to the question that
was repeatedly asked, the examiner will then proceed to conduct short interrogation. The polygraph
indicates that the subject is innocent; the examiner will just release the subject cordially and thanks
him/her for his/her cooperation.

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Whether you pass or fail a polygraph examination, it will often have very little legal importance.
Often, defense lawyers boast that their client has passed polygraphs. Of course, you will rarely hear of a
defendant taking a polygraph if he or she failed it. In the next section, you will learn more about the
legalities of polygraph exams.

FORMULATION OF TEST QUESTIONS

Questions are formulated from the information given by the investigators, from declaration of
witnesses or the subject himself, from records, interview, and from other
information like those delivered by the media. Test questions must relate to past events of a factual in
nature. Questions in the same exam must be asked in a separate examination Personal and disturbing
questions have no place in a properly conducted polygraph examination. There are general and specific
rules to be followed in the formulation of the test questions. The questions to be formulated must.

1. Be simple and direct.

2. Not involve legal terminology like murder, rape ect.
3. Be answerable by YES or NO.
4. Be clear and phrased in a language the subject can easily understand.
5. Not be in the form of an accusation.
6. Never contain an inference that presupposes knowledge on the part of the subject.
7. Refer to one offense only.
8. Not contain influence to one’s religion, race or belief.

TYPES OF QUESTIONS
During the examination, the examiner raise question that becomes verbal stimulus, the messages
are received by the ear and send out to the brain. Analysis the query, if the query is not a peril to the well
being of the subject, the thought central center rejects it and the body continues to function normally.
However, when the question is imperative to the subject, physiological chain reaction occur within his
body that is recorded by the polygraph instrument and can be evaluate by the polygraph examiner.

1. Relevant Question – These are direct question having an extreme and specific relationship to the
crime or matter under investigation and these are primary or key question ask by the examiner in order to
solve a specific issue. Relevant Question is classified into two:

a. Strong relevant or Primary or Crucial Question – These questions are intended and created
to test for direct participation only and specifically designed to produce an emotional
response in guilty subject.
b. Weak Relevant or Secondary Question – These are questions concern in several secondary
aspects of the crime or problem and often deal with guilty knowledge and partial

2. Irrelevant Question - These are questions devised without definite relationship with case
under investigation. They are intended to establish subject’s physiological norm and to lessen the
excitement stage produced by relevant question.
3. Evidence Connecting Questions – This is intended to arouse the guilty subject and focus his attention
on the probability of incriminating proof that would tend to establish his guilt. In
formulating the question, the examiner must know from the investigator whether or not pieces of
evidences were collected from the scene of the crime.

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4. Knowledge Question – This question is intended to discover whether the subject possesses
information regarding the identity of the offender, or as to the location of the evidence or other secondary
elements of the facts of the case under investigation.

5. Sacrifice or DYAT Question – This is intended to obtain responses usually produced by the
introduction of the first relevant question in the sequence. These divulge the subject’s norm plus stimulus
and excitement stage.

6. Control Question (Probable Lie) – This is a question intended to generate a response in an innocent
subject and provide the basis for assessing the subject’s perceptual set. Control Question is classified
into two:

a. Primary Control Question is based on known lie. It must concern about actions that transpired
within three (3) to five (5) years time prior to case under investigation occurred.
b. Secondary Control Question is more precise in nature and is based on another experience of
unlawful activity, which will improve the chance for responsiveness. It range covers up to the current
period the question for responsiveness must not be connected to the case under investigation.

7. Symptomatic Question – These questions are intended to identify and assess the occurrence of
outside issues that might restrain subject’s responses to the relevant question. An outside factor in a
case, which he is concerned, but not the issue under investigation.
8. Sky Question – These are three groups of question place by Backster and they are
intended to verify the previous charts and detect indirect participation or guilty knowledge. The “S” stands
for “suspect”; the “K” stands for “know”; and the “Y” stands for “you

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