Polygraphy

Lie Detection

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Polygraphy

• It is the scientific method of detecting deception with the use of a polygraph

instrument.
• 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. POLY means Many or More and
• derived from the two Greek words: GRAPHOS which means Writings.
 is a device or an instrument capable of recording changes in
blood pressure/pulse beats, respiration, and galvanic-skin-
reflex or GSR as indicative of emotional excitement, especially
of Lying when questioned.

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 Polygraphy
• 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 objectives of a Polygraph Examination? 

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

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 Polygraphy
What are the Principal uses of the polygraph?

• Aid in investigation
• Speeds up processing of investigation
• Eliminates innocent suspects
• Pre-employment screening
• Honesty test (Periodic test)

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 • DECEPTION - is an act of deceiving of misleading which is accomplished by lying.

• DETECTION - is the act of discovering the existence or presence of something

hidden or obscured.
STIMULUS – is the force or motion reaching the organism from the environment
and excites the preceptors.
REACTION – is any activity aroused in an organism by a stimulus, which is of
mental processes.
RESPONSE – is any reaction, usually of muscular or glandular processes, that
depends upon stimulation.
SPECIFIC RESPONSE – is one that is exhibited by the subject to a particular
question, which is a deviation from the norm.

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• SUBJECT –, refers to any person undergoing polygraph examination. He may be a
suspect, the complainant, the witness, the victims or relative of the victim or suspect (in
cases of criminal investigation or interrogation) or he may be an aspiring job applicant (in
cases of employment in a government or private institution undergoing screening though
loyalty test or integrity checking).

• POLYGRAPH EXAMINER/ POLYGRAPHIST or merely EXAMINER/EXPERT – is

the one conducting the test or examination.

• LYING - as commonly used in our study, creating a false or misleading impression with the
intention of wrongfully affecting the acts, opinion, or affection of another. It can be
accomplished either by:

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 the Kinds of Lie
• White Lie or Benign Lie - the kind of lies used to protect or maintain the harmony of
friendship or any relationship.

• Pathological Lie - this is a lie made by persons who cannot distinguish right from wrong.

• Red Lie- this involves political interests and motives because this is a part of communist
propaganda strategy. This is prevalent in communist countries or communist infested nation.
Lies of means of propaganda-brain-washing and blackmail via espionage and treason.

• Black Lie- a lie accompanies pretensions and hypocrisies, intriguing to cause dishonor or
discredit ones good image.

• Malicious or Judicial Lie- this is very pure and unjustifiable kind of lie that is intended purely
to mislead or obstruct justice.
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 Types of Lies
• Direct Denial
• Lie of Omission
• Lie of Fabrication
• Lie of Minimization
• Lie of Exaggeration

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Some Known Methods of Detecting Deceptions
• Ancient Ordeals
• Observation Methods
• Regular Police Methods
• Hypnotism
• Word Association Test
• Truth Serum Test/ Intoxication
• Polygraphy

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Some Ancient Ordeals of Detecting Lies
Red Hot Iron Ordeal
Ordeal of Balance
The Boiling Water Ordeal
Ordeal of the Red Water
Donkey’s Tail Ordeal
Rice Chewing Ordeal
Ordeal by Blessed Bread

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Observation Methods
• Thru Facial Expression
• Thru Postural Reaction
• Thru Cause and Effect Process, such as the
stimulation-reaction or response test.

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 Thru paling
Blushing, Facial Expression
or profuse sweating of forehead
Dilation of the eyes, protrusion of the eyeballs and elevation of upper eyelids
Squinting of the eyes (showing envy, disdain, distrust, etc.)
Twitching of the lips
Excessive winking of eyes
Failure to look the inquirer “straight into the eye”
Excessive activity of Adam’s apple and the vein at the temple due to dryness of
throat and mouth
Quivering of nose or nostrils
A peculiar monotone of the voice
A forced laugh
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Rolling of eyeballs from one direction to another 12
 Thru Postural Reaction
• Fidgeting, tapping or drumming of fingers on the chair or other
surfaces
• Swinging of legs or one leg over the other
• Unnecessary movements of hands and feet (like scratching, nail-biting,
thumb – or finger sucking
• Pulsation of the carotid artery in the neck
• Incoherence, trembling and sweating of the whole body

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Signs of Lies and Deceptions
1.Stammering;
2.Swearing to or before God that he did not commit the crime;
3.Pointing his guilt to somebody else;
4.Subject refuses to answer questions thru alibis and excuses;
5.He is all the time absent-minded;
6.He is always requesting for repetition of questions;
7.He often asks counter-questions and counter-queries;
8.He often asks permissions to go to comfort-rooms, etc.

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 7-12 yrs old Fantastic subject
13-19 yrs old Age of limitation and Idolatry

20-25 yrs old Idealistic and be principled

26-60 yrs old Materialism. Maturity & Responsibility

Memories are fading;

61-death
Irritability and Senility
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 Regular Police Method
• This method sought to answer the legal investigation processes to the following:
• 1. The “Five Wives and One Husband” (5 W’s and 1 H), which stands for – What?
When? Where? Who? Why? And How?

• 2. The “Three Eyes” (3 I’s) _ -- which stands for--

1. Information Gathering, thru Records Check, Surveillance and Intelligence Check;
2. Investigation, thru Interrogation or Interview, or thru Admission or confession;
3. Instrumentation or Criminalistics (Police Science), with the use of different investigative (forensic) sciences,
such as:
• Medico-legal or Forensic Medicine
• Forensic Chemistry
•  Police (or Investigative) Photography
•  Forensic Ballistics (Firearms Investigation)
• Questioned Document Examination
•  Dactyloscopy
•  Police (or Investigative) Communication, and
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 Terms Involves in Police Methods

• Admission-This is a declaration or statement of facts not directly constituting an acknowledgement of guilt,

but falling short of a full confession.
• -This is a declaration or statement of facts
Type of admission : Judicial Admission- Extra Judicial Admission –
• Confession- is an express acknowledgement by the accused in a criminal prosecution of the truth of his guilt
as to the offense charge.
Rules in Confession
• Confession need not to be in writing
• Confession may be written in a language which the accused does not speak
• Confession must be freely and voluntarily made
Interview
• is the questioning of a person believed to possess knowledge that is in official interest to the investigator.
• - is the process of eliciting information from the witnesses and confidential informants.
Interrogation
• is the questioning of a person suspected of having committed an offense or of a person who is reluctant to
make a full disclosure of information in his possession which is pertinent to the investigation.
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 Scientific methods of detecting Deception

Hypnotism
FRANZ (FRIEDRICH) ANTON MESMER (1734-1815); Austrian Mystic and
Physician; born on May 23,1734 at Iznang, a village near Lake Constance, Austria; he
was the first to introduce hypnotism as a method of deception detection in 1778.
Mesmer believed in animal magnetism, by which his own personal electro-magnetism
for therapeutic effect influenced other persons.
Word-Association Test
Here is another method of deception detection, which was introduced in 1879 by SIR FRANCIS
GALTON (1822-1911), an English Scientist Explorer and Anthropometrics, born on Feb. 16, 1822 at
Sparkbrook, Birmingham, London, and the cousin of the famous Charles Darwin.
 

Dr. Jung was able to observe how the thinking reactions were linked into the emotional habit of his
Subject. The theory behind this method is that, one word or idea is reflective of another word or idea and
expression of their association forms a meaningful picture.

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 Scientific methods of detecting Deception

Truth – Serum Test/Narco-analysis or Narco-Synthesis

The so-called “Truth – Serum” Test was introduced by DR. EDWARD MANDEL
HOUSE (1858-1938), a U.S. Physicist and Diplomat serving as Confidential Adviser to
former U.S. Pres. Woodrow Wilson, (born on July 26, 1858 at Ferris, Texas, USA). This
method involves intravenous injection or oral-taling of various drugs, such as hyocine
bromide, morphine, ether, chloroform, sodium amytal and scopolamine, which may
produce a condition of anesthesia. There must be an immediate need for a

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 Polygraph Test Technique/or the Lie-Detector Test
• This last method is based upon the theory that once a lie has been made or that an
emotion-evoking stimulus (question) has been given, a conscious mental effort on the
part of a normally conditioned person causes physical and physiological changes in
the body which are capable of being recorded, diagnosed and interpreted in a
recording machine or instrument called the “Polygraph”, “Deceptograph” or the
“Pheumo-Galvo-Sphygmo-Cardiograph”.
• In this method, the Subject is comfortably seated on a chair and then the blood-
pressure cuff, pneumograph tube and electroded are placed on his body with the
instrument being set in motion.
• Bodily changes or responses, such as respiration, blood-pressure /blood-volume/heart
action and pulse rate and skin resistance/GSR), are recorded by the instrument.
• The Subject is instructed to remain quiet, obey directions the Examiner may give out,
and answer all questions truthfully by either “Yes” or “No”.
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 TWO TYPES OF RESPONSE
• External Response. These response are very much observable even with out the aid of any emotion
\stress\recording machine. Good example of these responses as indicative of guilt or deceptions

• Internal Response. They are the most important in lie-detection because there are changes in the normal
functioning of the organs of the body that cannot be controlled by any pathological liar. Scientifically
known as ‘VISCERAL’ response this pertains to the responses of the internal organs of the following
system and property of the human body as applied in the study of lie-detection with the use or aid of a
polygraph, thus

• 1. The Nervous System – Which control the glands, muscular tissues, and the rest of the nerves connected organs to and
from the brain;
• 2. The Respiratory System – which take care of the inhalation and exhalation processes or the breathing cycles;
(PNEUMOGRAPH)
• 3. The Circulatory System – which regulates heart action, blood pressure and blood volume, and pulse rate; and
(CARDIOSHYGMOGRAPH)
• 4. The Excretory System – (or the Electrical properties of the skin which facilitates
the change in the electrical phenomena of the galvanic-skin-reflex (GSR), its resistance, and the brain potentials
(GALVANOGRAPH)

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 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT

• In the middle of the 19th century, Dr. Hans Gross, an Australian known as
the “Father of Criminalistic” defined “search for truth” as the basis and
goal of all criminal investigations. He asserted that a large part of the
criminal’s work is nothing more than a battle against lies. Throughout the
centuries, man continued to experiment with more scientific methods in
determining the truth and detecting deception.

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 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
DEVELOPMENT OF THE CARDIOGRAPH COMPONENT
• ANGELO MOSSO – 1895
• Studied fear and its influence on the hearth and his observations subsequently formed the
basis for the technique.
• Developed the SPHYGMAMOMANOMETER and the SCIENTIFIC CRADLE, which he
used in studying fear on the heart.
 CESAR LOMBROSO – 1895
 Employed the first scientific instrument to detect deception. This instrument known as
HYDORSPHYGMOGRAPH, measured changes in pulse and blood pressure when suspects were
questioned about their involvement in or knowledge of a specific response.

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 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
DEVELOPMENT OF THE CARDIOGRAPH COMPONENT
• WILLIAM MARSTON – 1915
• He dealt with the sphygmomanometer which was used to obtain periodic discontinuous
blood pressure readings during the course of an examination;
• He also experienced with and helped to develop the pneumograph, which records breathing
patterns, and the galvanometer, which registers changes in skin resistance.
 JOHN LARSON – 1921
 Developed the polygraph, an instrument capable of continuously records blood pressure, pulse, and respiration.
 The polygraph instrument which he developed was polygraphic apparatus in a portable form. Had published
more than anyone in this field.

 LARSON POLYGRAPH - This is the first assemblage of apparatus used by his co-workers in the Berkeley
Police Department.
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 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
DEVELOPMENT OF THE CARDIOGRAPH COMPONENT
• LEONARD KEELER –1926
• In 1949, he invented the Keeler Polygraph with components that simultaneously recorded changes
in blood pressure, pulse and respiration, as well as the newly developed galvanic skin reflex.
• He devised the chart roll paper, a better method of questioning, and incorporated the kymograph.
• He also devised a metal bellows.

 KEELER POLYGRAPH - In 1925, Keeler developed a compact portal instrument using a modification
of the Erlanger pressure reducer that permitted the blood pressure changes to be recorded over a greater
range.

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 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PNEUMOGRAPH COMPONENT
• VITTORIO BENUSSI – 1914
• Successfully detected deception with a pneumograph, an instrument that graphically
measures an examinee’s inhalation and exhalation.
• He demonstrated that changes in breathing patterns accompany deception.

 HAROLD BURTT – 1918

 Determined that respiratory changes were indicative of deception.
 Found out that changes in systolic blood pressure were of greater value in determining deception than
changes in respiration.

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 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
DEVELOPMENT OF THE GALVANOGRAPH COMPONENT
• GEORGE STICKER – 1897
• First to suggest the use of the galvanograph for detecting deception based on the work of
several predecessors.
• Theorized that the galvanic skin phenomena was influenced by exciting mental
impressions and that the will have no effect upon it.
•  
• OTTO VERAGUTH – 1907
• First to use the term “PSYCHOGALVANIC REFLEX”.
• Believed that the electrical phenomenon was due to the activity of the sweat glands.

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 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
OTHER PERSONALITIES TO THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE POLYGRAPH
HUGO MUNSTERBURG (1908)
• Proposed that lie test based on lie detector should be admissible as evidence in court.
• The detection is based on using blood pressure variations for deception detection.
• He advocates the used of lie detection in court.

• CHARLES SAMSON FERE – (1888)

• French Scientist who discovered that electro dermal response is caused by an increase in
the action of the heart and vital energy converted with human emotions.
• He asserted that human body has the ability to generate store, discharged high voltage of
static electricity
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 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
OTHER PERSONALITIES TO THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE POLYGRAPH
• JACQUES D’ARSONVAL – (1851-1940)
• French Scientist who declared that electricity is generated by the body and named External
Friction as source of generation.
• He assorted those sweat glands which the body at times store the electricity and at other times
discharged them.
• His works helped in the development of the galvanometer.

• PAUL WILHELM AND DONALD BURNS (1951)

• Michigan City, Indiana, USA, (Independent Lie Detector Specialists) who invented the Electronic
Psychometric using Electrodermal Response as a basis for lie detection.
• Both have proven that results of lie detection test (during) using their instrumental 95% accurate.
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 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTTO THE
OTHER PERSONALITIES
DEVELOPMENT OF THE POLYGRAPH

 CHESTER W. DARROW (1932)

• Made a third modification to the Larson Cardio-Pneumo Psychograph, by adding a galvanometer.
• The new instrument included a psycho-galvanometric record, electrodes on the palm and back of the
hand, as well as a continuous blood pressure record, and a pneumographic record.

• Reid - hedevised an instrument as Reid Polygraph. In the year 1945 he

introduced a completely revised polygraph technique, the most significant
feature of which was the utilization of a control question known as the Reid
control question technique.

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 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
OTHER PERSONALITIES TO THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE POLYGRAPH
• SIR JAMES MACKENZLE (1906)
• Generally overlooked in that history of the lie detector technique is the fact that so called polygraph was in existence at
least as early as 1906.
• Its invention, however as not for lie detection purposes, rather for the use in medical examination.
• Nevertheless, it did contain the essential features of present day instrument and first construction was based upon the same
principle.
• Its inventor was Sir James Mackenzle, the famous English Heart Specialist which articles entitled “The Ink Polygraph”
which appeared in 1908 number of the English Journal.

• CLEVE BACKSTER – (1947)

• Develop the control question technique which introduces a lie in the polygraph chart to establish a yard sticks so that one
would know what the reaction really means.
• If this person responds to this control lie to a greater extent than does to the actual questions under investigation we
assume and establish the subject is telling the truth at that point.
• If the reverse is true we state that he is not telling the truth at that point.
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Philippines History of Polygraph
• The Polygraph was first introduced to the Philippines in 1945 by the
Crime Laboratory of the Military Police.
• The Crime Laboratory sent several people including Mr. Jose Navarro
and Conrado Dumlao to the U.S for polygraph training.
• In 1950 the National Bureau Investigation sent Mr. Agustin Patricio to
train at the keeler Polygraph Institute.

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 CARDINAL RULE OF THE
POLYGRAPH EXAMINER
“Always OBJECTIVITY over SUBJECTIVITY”

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 PURPOSE OF POLYGRAPH
EXAMINATION
To determine truth or deception based on the presence of emotional
disturbance of the subject as appearing on the questions relative to
the case under investigation.

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OBJECTIVE OF POLYGRAPH EXAMINATION
The ultimate objective of Polygraph Examination is to obtain the Subject’s
ADMISSION or CONFESSION of the offense committed.

In Addition :
• Determine if the subject is telling the truth by verifying statement and comparing
conflicting statements.
• Acquire additional investigative leads to the facts of an offense.
• Locate fruit or tools of crime or whereabouts of wanted persons.
• Identify other persons involved.
• Gain valuable information from willing subject.
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1. USES
CriminalOF POLYGRAPH
investigation :
• It is an investigative aid for the investigation to:
• Confirm the statement of victims.
• Ascertain the credibility of witnesses.
• Assess truthfulness of suspects.
 
• It speeds up the process of investigation.
• It eliminates innocent subjects.
• The investigator can focus to one subject to determine the truth or deception.
2. Pre- employment test an screening
3. Periodic personnel check (for integrity)
4. Claim verification test (for insurance compensation/benefits
5. Loyalty test (for intelligence & honesty)
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6. Promotion
THE FOUR MAJOR COMPONENTS
OF POLYGRAPH AND THE
PLACEMENT OF INSTRUMENTAL
ATTACHMENT

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 1. PNEUMOGRAPH
2 rubberized corrugated tube -7 inches in length fastened around the
subject’s chest and abdomen. Each attached to a unit by a rubber hose not
longer than six feet and not larger than one quarter inch in diameter.

2 top upper pens of the instrument which records the thoracic and
abdominal breathing patterns of respiration.

The inhalation/exhalation of the subject cause the tubes to expand and

contract, thereby reflecting the change through bellows to the pen into the
chart.

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 2. CARDIOSPHYGMOGRAPH
 the blood pressure cuff containing a rubber bladder that is wrapped around one
of the subject arms in such a way as to ensure that the rubber portion of the cuff
is place over the brachial artery of the right arm for more satisfactory
recordings.
 This is the fourth and the bottom pen of the instrument. The polygraphist
inflates the bladder with a hand pump to put air into the system, which recorded
in a sphygmomanometer in millimeter of mercury (generally 60-80 mm).

 Take note: Normal pulse rate- 72-80 beats per min.

Normal blood pressure is 120/80

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 3. GALVANOGRAPH
a set of electrodes attached to the index finger and to the ring finger of the
left hand or the palmer or dorsal surfaces of subject’s hand.

This is the longest and the third pen of the instrument. The electrodes used
for obtaining the recording of the GSR or electro dermal responses, are
fastened to the hand or fingers by means of the passage of an imperceptible
amount of electrical current through the hand or fingers bearing the attached
electrodes, a galvanometer unit provides recording of the variation in the
flow of the electrical current.

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 4. KYMOGRAPH
 this is the chart-recording unit of the instrument. It has a
synchronized motor that drives the charts at the rate of 6-12 inches
per minute and its speed constant is vital because the vertical lines,
which are spaced either at one inch interval, represents five or ten
seconds interval on the chart.
 This provides the polygraphist with a means of determining pulse
rate and question spacing.
 Chart roll-100ft, 6 inches width with ½ inch margin apart
 Paper is imprinted with horizontal line spaced at ¼ inch
interval(2o division) and vertical lines 1/10 inch interval with
heavy lines at ½ inch interval
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Accuracy of the Polygraph Exam Result
• This has been the unending question among many of us. However, practitioners have
agreed that the accuracy of the polygraph results ranges from 85% to 100% depending
upon the factors that affect it.

Factors that Affects the Accuracy of the Polygraph Results

Generally, the following are factors affecting polygraph examination accuracy:
• The instrument.
• The condition of the Subject.
• The condition of the examination room.
• The qualification and skills of the examiner.
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Specifically, the 25% errors of lie detection test
come from the following circumstances:

•  Nervousness or extreme emotional tension experienced by a subject who is

telling the truth regarding the offense in question
• Physiological abnormalities
• Mental Abnormalities
• Unresponsiveness in a lying or guilty subject
• Attempt to “beat the machine” by controlled breathing or by muscular
flexing
• Unobserved application of muscular pressure which produces ambiguities
and misleading indications in the blood pressure tracing.
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 limitations of the Polygraph
• It is valuable investigative aid, but never a substitute for investigation.
• It is not a lie detector; it is a scientific diagnostic instrument.
• It does not determine facts, it record responses to that which the subject knows to be
true.
• It is only as accurate as the examiner is competent.
• The test will not be given until enough facts have been established to permit the
examiner to prepare a complete set of suitable questions.
• The test will not be given without the voluntary consent of the subject.
• No indication will be given to any person or placed in any report that a person will be
considered guilty because he refused to take the test.
• A test will not be given until the accusations have been explained with the subject.
• No attempt to use Polygraph for mental or physical evaluation of any person.
• No examination will be conducted on unfit subject.
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QUALIFICATIONS OF THE POLYGRAPH EXAMINER
• He must be a college graduate preferably graduate from the College of Criminology because he has knowledge of
this scientific detection of guilt. (Not necessarily graduate)
• He must have taken special course in a lie-detection or criminal interrogation either locally or abroad or
substituted by apprenticeship.
• Five years’ experience in Criminal investigation or as detective. He has mastered all techniques in investigation
and interrogation.
• His mental and physical qualification:
• Intelligence: not less than 100 I.Q.
• He has not been confined in mental hospital for mental disease.
• He is not physically defective like nervousness, easily irritated, disease of the heart, low and high pressure of
blood, defective lungs, respiratory organs, like T.B. asthma and his five senses are all right.
• He possess good moral character, habits, integrity, honesty, etc.
• He must not be lacking in personality that commands respect and discipline, his moral character and habit are
beyond criticism.
• He has not been criminally prosecuted.
• He is impartial, just and not easily bribed or corrupted.
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 Three (3) General Types of Subjects

1. Victim or Complainant
2. Witness
3. Suspects

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 QUALIFICATIONS OF THE SUBJECT WHO WILL UNDERGO LIE-
DETECTION EXAMINATION

• Mental fitness. The subject must understand what is wrong and what is right. His mind
is normally functioning.
• Physical fitness. He is free from any physical defect.
• He has no lung disease, heart, not low and high pressure of blood, nervousness.
• He must not be an imbecile or moron, insane, or suffering from hallucination, etc.
• The subject who has been interrogated intensively, especially accompanied by “3rd
degree” prior to lie-detection examination is not fit for the test. (Just take his fingerprints
and photograph)
• A person who is habitually drunk, opium addict, and other vices is not good subject for
lie-detector examination. Their bloods are full of alcohol, which is deterrent factor in
the recording.
• He should have good sleep and not hungry.
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QUALIFICATIONS OF THE SUBJECT WHO WILL UNDERGO LIE-
DETECTION EXAMINATION

• Should sleep at least 5 hrs.- Goodnight sleep

• 2 hrs. Refrain from smoking
• He/ she should undergo prolonged interrogation prior to the tes
• Must not subjected to physical abuse
• 12 hrs. refrain from drinking intoxicating liquior or sedatives drugs or
any prohibited drugs
• He/ she must not be suffering from temporary illness
• He/ she must not hungry
• He/ she must not have sex indulgence prior to the test

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 ROOM FOR THE EXAMINATION
• . Proper location. The room must be located in a place free from internal or external noise like vehicular
traffic; located preferably in the ground floor so that there is no fatigue on the part of the subject. (90%
sound proof )
• The room should be properly ventilated. If financial condition can afford, air condition is better by
exhaust pipe system. The use of electric fan is not good.
• The room shall be sound proof and acoustic, roof, ceiling, and wall shall be double paneled.
• It should be provided with proper lighting fixture, which will not disturb the eyes of the subject.
Incandescent lamp is good.
• It should be a convenient size with adjoining observation room equipped with a one-way mirror and
microphone, tape recorder, amplifier to record any word spoken by the suspect.
• Electrical outlet of 110 volts should be installed for lie-detector machine.
• The color of the room should not be sensitive to the eyes. Red, dark and yellow colors are not good.
• No telephone installation because the ringing will disturb the examination.
• There will be no decoration, picture frame, or nude calendar because they will attract attention to the
subject.
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Unnecessary furniture shall be avoided in the room. 49
Four (4) Phases of Polygraph Examination:
1. Initial Interview - with the Investigator Handling the Case.

This includes such as:

a. Obtaining and evaluating case facts
b. Determine areas the subject needs to asked about
c. The investigator should furnish the examiner adequate facts of the
case

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2. The Pre-test interview - with the subject to be examined. The primary
purpose of the pre-test interview is to prepare the subject for the test.

This phase includes:

a. The Subject must be appraised of his constitutional rights.
b. Obtain subject’s consent to undergo the test (signing of the statement)
c. The taking of the personal data of the subject
d. Determine his or her suitability of the test
e. Clinically observation of the subject
f. Evaluating the psychological preparation of the subject
g. Informing the subject of his involvement with the case

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3. The conduct of instrumental test - with the asking of questions previously
reviewed with the subject.

a. Transducers are attached to the body of the subject

b. Test instructions are given to the subject
c. Stimulating and conditioning the subject
d. Conduct preliminary evaluation/Initial Findings
Approximately five to ten seconds after this instruction first question is asked and then the
other questions follows after or at the interval of fifteen or twenty seconds.

A test should not be administered with out the consent from the subjects

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4. Post Interview/Interrogation - with the subject

This phase includes all consideration that bear on the examination just after the
instrument is turned off.

If the polygraph test result indicates deception then the examiner proceeds to conduct a
short interrogation, the purpose of which is to obtain confession or admission.
However, if the test charts of polygraphs indicate that a subject is telling the truth then
he will be released cordially and the examiner will thank then/him for his cooperation.

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THE TEST CONSTRUCTION AND PROCEDURES
•  
• The polygraph test consists of asking the subject/ person though
the transducer of the instrument, a list of prepared questions in a
planned sequence; comprising of not more than twelve.
• At least 3 test charts are taken,
each lasting not more than four (4) minutes
rest interval of five (5) to ten (10) minutes between charts.

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GENERAL RULES ON QUESTION
FORMULATION:
The following are the general rules:
• Questions must be simple and direct.
• They must not involved legal terminology; e.g. Rape,
• Assault, Murder, etc.
• They must be answerable by “yes” or “no” and should be
• short as possible.
• Their meaning must be clear and unmistakable and phrased in a language the subject can
easily understand.
• They must not be in the form of accusation.
• They must never contain an influence which presupposes knowledge on the part of the
subject.
• All questions must refer to only one element of an offense.
• They must not contain inferences to one’s religion, race or belief.
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 DIFFERENT TYPE OF TEST QUESTIONS
• A. RELEVANT QUESTION – (or critical) are the primary or key questions asked by the
examiner in order to resolve a specific subject-matter. It is further classified according to
its stimulation effect when applied, namely:

• 1. Strong relevant or primary relevant question is a relevant question which has an intense and specific
relationship to the crime or problem being considered. This is intended to produce strong emotional
response in guilty subjects.

Example: Did you steal Hazel’s wristwatch?

• Did you steal anything from Hazel’s house?

• 2. Weak Relevant or Secondary relevant question–are questions that concern some secondary elements
of the crime and deal mostly on guilty knowledge and partial involvement:

Example: Do you know where the missing wristwatch of Hazel’s is now?

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DIFFERENT TYPE OF TEST QUESTIONS
the weak relevant is classified into the following:
• 1. Sacrifice Relevant or DYAT questions (Do you intend to Answer Truthfully) are designed to absorb the response
generally generated by the introduction of the first relevant questions in the series. Reaction to these questions gives the
examiner a clue as to Subject’s attitude of willingness or voluntaries to submit to the test.
• Example: Regarding the stolen wristwatch, you intend truthfully to answer each question about that?

• 2. Knowledge question. This type of question is propounded to the subject to prove whether he possesses the
information leading to the identification of the offender or the location of the evidence.
• Example: Do you know for sure who stole the wristwatch of Hazel?
• At this instance, the phrase “for sure” is included to eliminate further suspicion just in case the subject knew the
offender the location of evidence but is only hesitant to answer “yes”.

• 3. Evidence–Connecting Questions –this has to do with inviting subjects attention on the probability of incriminating
proof that would tend to establish his guilt, by linking him and his predicaments to the fingerprints, footprints, tool
marks, etc. collected at the crime scene.
• Example: Were the footprints outside the house of Hazyl’s yours?
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 DIFFERENT TYPE OF TEST QUESTIONS
B. IRRELEVANT QUESTIONS: no importance to the case under investigation, but of great
significance to controlling fatigue, nervousness and discomfiture of the subject, irrelevant or
neutral questions must precede the relevant ones. Some of them may form like this:
• 1. Did you eat today?
• 2. Do you smoke?
• 3. Are you wearing brown leather shoes now?
• 4. Is the cigarette you smoke a Marlboro brand?
• 5. Do you live in Bonifacio Street.?
• Neutral questions are always entertained in the polygraph interrogation with the intention to
relieve or normalize the fear of subject’s nervousness or his discomfort due to constant
blood pressure cuff pressing.
• If the Subject is halfway telling the truth, or has told a lie successfully, irrelevant questions
help neutralize mental effort of perceiving what he said of the falsity of his recent answer.
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 DIFFERENT TYPE OF TEST QUESTIONS
• C. CONTROL QUESTION (Probably Lie): This is a question based on a
known lie made by the subject about denying having done something that is
verified or known to be true.
It is actually connected to the crime under investigation, but the nature of the question is in general scope and similar to
the crime to which the subject will actually tell a lie.

It is a given to get the full truth about the subjects knowledge.

Control questions have two kinds:

1. Primary Control Question – recalls the offense done from the time of childhood up to three to five years before the
occurrence of the present offense being investigated.
Example: Before reaching the age of 25, have you ever stolen anything?
Did you ever steal in your life?

2. Secondary Control Question – more specific in nature, is based upon another species of wrongdoing, which will
enhance the subject’s opportunity for responsiveness.
Its scope includes up to the present period of examination.
Example: Have you ever stolen anything from this locality?
The formulation of both types of control questions necessary reasonable certainty that the Subject’s answer is a lie.
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 DIFFERENT TYPE OF TEST QUESTIONS
• D. GUILT COMPLEX QUESTIONS. -This refers to the questions which safeguard against mistaking relevant
question response of guilt complex reactor as deception responses, and is based on a fictitious crime situation closely
parallel and equal in weight to the actual crime under investigation, so that the guilty can be sure he did not commit it.
Example: Did you steal the gold coin collection?
• Remember that the stealing of gold coin collection was not actually committed because the alleged crime investigated
was the loss of precious wristwatch of Hazel.
• This test is applied when the response to relevant and control questions are similar in degree and in consistency and
in a way that the examiner cannot determine whether the subject is telling the truth or not.

• E. SYMPTOMATIC QUESTIONS: Its function is to detect and evaluate the presence of outside issues which may
suppress response to relevant questions. This is often true that subject fear they might be asked about another cases in
which they are involved, but are not the subject matter under investigation.
• Example: Are you completely convinced that I will not ask any question on this test that has not been already been
reviewed?
• F. “S” “K” “Y” QUESTIONS
• S – Stand for suspect; K - means knowledge; Y – refers to “you” as the subject
• These three questions grouped together by Backster confirm the previous charts and may detect indirect involvement
on guilty knowledge.
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 DIFFERENT TYPE OF TEST QUESTIONS
• PEAK-OF-TENSION TEST (PTT)
• The subject may be given this test if he is not yet informed of the details of the
offense for which he is being interrogated by the investigation, or by other persons
or from other sources like the print media. This valid test is only made possibly
when there is no widespread publicity about a crime where intimate details as to the
methods of commission or certain facts of the case is known from the victim and
investigator.

SILENT ANSWER TEST (SAT)

•  This test is conducted in the same manner as when relevant and control questions
are asked but the subject is instructed to answer the questions silently, to himself,
without making any verbal response causes distortion in the tracing such as sniff or
clearing the throat.
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 SIGNS AND SYMBOLS (commonly used in Chart Marking)

• X / 60 / 1.5 A - first markings of the examiner on the chart

• XX / 60 / 1.5 A - examiner’s mark after the test
• X - start of the test
• XX - end of the test
• 60 - millimeter of mercury shown in sphygmamometer dial
• 1.5 - ohms of skin electrical resistance
• A or M - refers to automatic or manual galvo amplifier used
• | | - point where each question begins and end (also called stimulus mark)
• + - Yes answer to question
• - - No answer to question
• A - adjustment
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 SIGNS AND SYMBOLS (commonly used in Chart Marking)

• T - subject talked instead of answering with single Yes or No

• R - subject request for repetition of question
• C - coughing
• N - noise
• S - sigh by the subject
• PJ - paper jam
• SN - subject sniffed
• BI - breathing instruction

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 SIGNS AND SYMBOLS (commonly used in Chart Marking)
• OS - tracing changed caused by outside stimulus
• M - movement
• IM - movement instruction
• L - laugh
• B - used to signify belch
• C+ - increase in galvo sensitivity
• C- - decrease in galvo sensitivity
• Y - yawn
• IS - ink stop
• CT - clearing of throat

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Additional fact
• US vs Frye was the first case in lie detection, the Supreme
Court in 1923 decided that it was not adminisable

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 Can a person be compelled to undergo Lie
detection Test
• No, you cannot compel a person to be subjected to the
test, always secure the subject consent prior to the
conduct of examination

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 Is there a best time of a day to conduct a
polygraph examination?
• Yes, since it is important that the person tested be
capable of the maximum reactions
• Advisable to conduct in the morning will be more
productive than those examination conducted in
afternoon or evening

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 Can someone below the age 18 take a polygraph?
• Yes, but the examiner must have first written consent of
the parents or guardian of the child. However, most
examiner will not test anyone who is less than 12 years
of age.

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 Can medication Affect the test result?
• Yes, any drugs or medication that suppresses normal
activity of the central nervous system will reduce the
strength of reaction.

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 Can pregnant woman be tested?
• Yes or NO, as long it does not affect the outcome of the
polygraph examination,

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