What Is A Polygraph Test: Everything You Need To Know

A polygraph test is a test used for various purposes, from criminal assessments to basic reasons. There can be various reasons one can take a polygraph test, whether that be an office policy or a police interrogation. If you’re wondering how the test works and the pros and cons of it, you’ve landed on the right page. Here’s everything you need to know about a polygraph test. Keep reading to learn more.   

What Is a Polygraph Test?

A polygraph test is popularly known as a “lie detector test.” It gets this name from how the test works. In layman's terms, a polygraph test detects lies, i.e., it is an extensive tool to determine whether someone is lying or telling the truth. The tool measures and assesses several physiological responses—like heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, and skin conductivity—while a person answers a series of questions. The study of the bodily responses determines whether the answer is a truth or a lie. 

How Does a Polygraph Test Work?

Here’s a detailed step-by-step description of how a polygraph test works:

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• Step 1: The test starts by preparing the person by connecting them to the polygraph machine. This is done by placing several sensors on the individual’s body that study the different physiological responses.
• Step 2: The test then starts as the examiner asks simple baseline questions like, “Is your name Jane?” and “Are you from India?” These questions act as a trial run to verify whether the machine is working properly.
• Step 3: Now, the actual test starts as the examiner asks the important questions relevant to the situation being investigated. As the individual answers, the machine records how the person’s body reacts to these questions.
• Step 4: Once all the questions are answered, the examiner assesses the body’s response to the questions and how the responses were different from the baseline questions. 

If there’s a significant difference in how the body reacts during certain questions, it may suggest that the person is lying.

Pros and Cons of a Polygraph Test

Pros:

Here are the advantages of a polygraph test:

• Polygraph tests can be useful in investigations to guide detectives or employers in understanding a person’s honesty.
• The fear of being caught by the test can sometimes make people more likely to tell the truth.
• Results can be obtained quickly, which can be useful in urgent situations.

Cons:

Here are the disadvantages of a polygraph test:

• Polygraph tests aren’t foolproof. Factors like nervousness, medical conditions, or even certain medications can affect results, leading to false positives or false negatives.
• Polygraph results are generally not accepted as evidence in most courts.
• Some argue that the stress of taking the test and the pressure it creates can be unfair, especially if the results are used against someone in an important decision.

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