Lie Detector Test-Tips & Reviews 

Lie detector tests have become a popular cultural icon — from crime dramas to comedies to advertisements — the picture of a polygraph pen wildly gyrating on a moving chart is readily recognized symbol. But, as psychologist Leonard Saxe, PhD, (1991) has argued, the idea that we can detect a person's veracity by monitoring psycho physiological changes is more myth than reality. Even the term "lie detector," used to refer to polygraph testing, is a misnomer. So-called "lie detection" involves inferring deception through analysis of physiological responses to a structured, but unstandardized, series of questions. Checkout http://www.liedetectortestusa.com for more info.

The instrument typically used to conduct polygraph tests consists of a physiological recorder that assesses three indicators of autonomic arousal: heart rate/blood pressure, respiration, and skin conductivity. Most examiners today use computerized recording systems. Rate and depth of respiration are measured by anemographs wrapped around a subject's chest. Cardiovascular activity is assessed by a blood pressure cuff. Skin conductivity (called the galvanic skin or electro dermal response) is measured through

electrodes attached to a subject's fingertips.

The recording instrument and questioning techniques are only used during a part of the polygraph examination. A typical examination includes a pretest phase during which the technique is explained and each test question reviewed. The pretest interview is designed to ensure that subjects understand the questions and to induce a subject's concern about being deceptive. Polygraph examinations often include a procedure called a "stimulation test," which is a demonstration of the instrument's accuracy in detecting deception. 

While you should tell the examinee the general nature of the questions, it is not advisable to provide the examinee with the exact questions that will be asked in advance of the exam. The night before the exam, make sure the person being tested gets a good night´s rest and eats a meal before the test. A polygraph or lie detector test is normally used for interrogation purposes by law enforcers for various reasons. It does not detect lies as most would believe; it just measures various stressors that are often in form of graphs.