How accurate is the polygraph?

Answer 1

The polygraph is only as good as the polygrapher. Yes, it is not often admissable in court but in law enforcement they use it whenever possible.

I have taken 4 polygraphs and I have to explain everything ahead of time in order to pass. From the answers above I can tell you some of them had hack polygraphers.

example: one guy above said that he answered yes to stealing from an employer and then explained it. I am no expert but every question I have ever been asked you discuss first so that you understand the question and know your answer in advance. If you know your answer in advance then it is more difficult to lie. The polygrapher should have already discussed the theft of nuts and bolts and instructed the testee to disregard that "theft" when answering.

Polygraph technology changes to keep pace with those who try to beat the test. Everyone has heard the rumor that you can put a tack in your shoe and poke your foot during every question to illicit identical responses from your body. That doesn't work, now you sit on a pressure pad that measures every lower body movement.

The polygraph does not just measure heart rate. It measures breath rate and skin acidity (from sweat) as well.

In my opinion it is not perfect but an excellent tool. Law enforcement uses it and the feds use it for security clearances as well.

Answer 2

I personally know a couple of people that can pass a polygraph while lieing their @ss off.
I took one for a job and when they asked if I had ever stolen anything from an employer I answered yes. You know, pens, some nuts and bolts from the production area, nothing big, not money or anything.
The polygraph said I was lieing.......lol
Why would you say you did steel from an employer, when you didn't the operator asked me. I explained what I had taken an he laughed.
I got the job BTW.

Answer 3

Why do you think polygraph results are INADMISSIBLE in court proceedings as evidence? Jittery type people can be 100% truthful, and show up as liars on the test.Pathological liars can lie 100 % of the times on the test and pass with flying colors, because they BELIEVE what they say is the truth, and their physiological signs as measured by the machine does NOT waver.

Answer 4

a lot depends on the examiner and the examinee. i personally know of one incident where a employee was railroaded into leaving their job because they were the only one in a group of six people who failed a polygraph test that was given after a sizable merchandise theft. 6mos later a individual who had passed the test with flying colors confessed to the theft that the person who had failed the test was blamed for. i have never trusted the polygraph since.

Answer 5

A polygraph is based off heart rate; running off the theroy that people are honest and when they lie they get nervous so heart rate increases drastically while lying. Down side to this if you are a liar and stay calm it doesn't register a lie. That's the reason it is not evidence in federal court. and most of the state courts don't accept it eithier.

Answer 6

They do not work but some idiots think that they do. It is thus very useful in detectecting idiots who lie!
Idiots sometimes confess when confronted with these machines. Thus the machines have been successful.

Witch finding in African countries works in a similar manner. If a person believes that it works, it works!

Answer 7

Its very inaccurate. Only four states in the US will accept it as evidence in court which shows that its not entirely trusted. And Im assuming when they use one on the chat shows its not even done as scientifically as it should be and therefore even more inaccurate. Its based on your galvanic skin responses to stress, which can be controlled by yourself if you know how.

Answer 8

The fact that so few countries use it should answer that.

Once you know the principal on which it is based it is easily defeated



.

Answer 9

not very accurate at all.

Answer 10

97.9%, it only works right,if there are no drugs in there system, all the best