LESSON MANUSCRIPT

The polygraph test is technically one of the numerous :lie detector" tests available today. All
indication is that polygraph will become a more prominent feature in our law as well as in the
business community. Until recently, polygraph was considered unsophisticated and unreliable by
the pessimists. Today, polygraph established credibility and aspect from many of its critics, gave
extended service to the business community and is widely used and accepted in numerous
countries worldwide.

The Polygraph Examiners (PE) guide is conceptualized because Polygraph is a powerful

beneficial diagnostic tool. There exists a potential misuse of this benefit among its practitioners
and it may bridge every critical point of understanding concerning polygraph. Its utilization, i.e.,
its ability to elicit admissions and allow a formulation of opinions concerning deception, is a
separate issue from forming diagnostic opinions, which are scientifically valid, reliable, and
defensible. All polygraph examiners must adhere to this standard by emphasizing the use of
these methods with established validity and reliability.

HISTORY

The idea that lying procedures physical side effects has been claimed in the ancient
times. In West Africa, the persons suspected of a crime were made to pass a bird's egg to one
another. If a person broke the egg, then he/ she is considered guilty, based on the idea that
their nervousness was to blame. In Ancient China, the suspect held a handful of rice in his/ her
mouth during a prosecutor's speech. Since salivation was believed to cease at times of
emotional anxiety, the person was considered guilty if by the end of that speech, the rice
remained dry.

The origins of the modern polygraphy date to 1913, when William Moulton Marston, a
psychology student at Harvard University, used the systolic blood pressure test as a method of
lie detection. In his book, the “Lie detector test”, Marston erroneously claimed that was the first
to use this method, even though many researchers were doing similar studies. He wrote a
second paper on the same concept in 1915, upon finishing his undergraduate studies. He
entered Harvard Law School and graduated in 1918, republishing his earlier work in 1917.

Modern polygraph was born in Berkeley. California where August Volmer, legendary
chief of police, author, teacher, and law enforcement innovator, built a police department that
served as a model of police professionalism. He improved police training and education, the
separation of police work from politics, the establishment of hiring standards, the acceptance of
fingerprints, the creation of crime laboratories, and the use of science in criminal investigation.
In 1919, when Volmer was at the peak of his careers, he placed an ad in the school newspaper
at the University of California soliciting students to serve as police officers while attending
college. Dr John Larson, a 27 year old medical “college cops”. Two years later, Larson read an
article in the Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology about the effects of lying on the
deceiver’s heart rate and blood pressure. The article had been written Larson’s attention.
Larson brought the article and showed it to Volmer who asked Larson to fashion a lie detector
instrument for law enforcement based upon the principles outlined by Munsterberg and
Marston. Larson’s crude device measured and recorded the examinee’s blood pressure, pulse
beat, and changes in respiration. Unlike modern polygraphs, Larson’s instrument didn’t produce
an ink of a recorded by needle that etched out a line on the surface of soot-blackened paper
that turned on two upright wooden spindles. Larson’s called the instrument “Polygraph”
although Thomas Jefferson was the first man noted for the use of the word Polygraph. His
invention was first applied in law enforcement at the Berkeley Police Department. The results of
these experiments convinced Volmer was on to something big. Shortly thereafter, Larson was
using the instrument to solve a series of petty theft cases on the campus of the University of
California. The term “polygraph” was also used in 1908 by James Mackenzie in his invention of
the “ink polygraph” which was used medical reasons.

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 In 1922, Leonarde Keeler was introduced by his father Chares Keeler to his friend
August Volmer, and began hanging around the police department. Leonarde Keeler began
helping out in the department’s photography lab where he met Larson who had him photograph
the sooted polygraph charts. Before long, Larson had an assistant who accompanied him on
cases and set up the instrument. During the next several months Larson and Keeler gave
hundreds of polygraph tests in the bay area. Larson resigned from the Berkeley Police
Department in 1923. When Volmer moved to Los Angeles in the same year, Leonarde Keeler
decided and moved ro Los Angeles where he enrolled at U.C.L.A. While in Los Angeles, Keeler
ran hundreds of lie detection test for Volmer and several neighboring police departments. Two
years later, he transferred to Stanford where he fashioned his own version of Larson’s device,
an instrument that became known as the “Keeler Polygraph”. He developed the metal recording
tambour or bellows, the kymograph, the rolled chart paper and the method of questioning and
was the first to incorporate galvanograph with measurement of blood pressure and respiration.
Keeler graduated from Stanford in 1928 and moved to Chicago where he took Larson’s old job
with the state. Keeler also began working with Adler at the Institute of Juvenile Research. A
year later he joined the Scientific Crime Detection Laboratory in Chicago run by the famous
ballistics expert, Dr. Calvin Goddard. About this time he obtained a patent for his improved
polygraph instrument then had twelve of them manufactured for sale at $300 a price.

PRINCIPLES OF POLYGRAPH

The polygraph science is known as Psycho physiological detection of deception. The key
here is the fear of detection of deception. This is based on the principle that a person will direct
his/her attention to that issue that possesses the biggest threat to his/her well-being.

In practical terms this means that when an examinee is asked a certain range of
questions, he/she will show the biggest physiological response to that question which poses the
biggest threat to his/her well-being, i.e., the questioned examinee is the most afraid to be
detected lying. Through research done over the past 75 years, various polygraph techniques
have been developed which dramatically improved the accuracy of the polygraph.

OTHER EARLY METHODS OF DETECTING DECEPTION

Medical Aid to Scientific Interrogation

1. Truth Serum Test

The objective of this test is to extract from the subconscious mind that stored content
called memory, while the subject is half asleep. When produces with correct dosage it
will remove the will power, the self-preservation instinct and reasoning power. The
subject will thus disclose without evasive answer to skillfully manipulated questions.

Interrogation under Hypnosis

2. Hypnotism

This is accomplished by instructing a subject to sit quietly and gaze at a flashing light or
shiny objects passing into hypnotic state. That is comfortable state or complete
relaxation in which the subject will readily and willingly to cooperate in every way with
the hypnotizer.

Psychological Application

3. Word Association Test

This is accomplished by giving the subject a list of carefully selected stimulus words
intersperse with other relevant words with instruction for the subject to respond with
the very first that comes to his mind.

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 FACIAL EXPRESSION HIGHLY SUGGESTIVE OF DECEPTION

 Paling blushing or profuse sweating on forehead or chin

 Dilation of the eyes, elevation of upper eyelid
 Twitching of the corners of the lips
 Excessive winking
 Quivering nostrils

POSTURAL REACTION SUGGESTIVE OF DECEPTION

 In ability to maintain an “eye to eye” contact

 Excessive activity of the “Adams Apple”
 Dryness of mouth, loud clocking every time he speaks
 Fid getting with fingers, tapping or drumming on chair or table
 Swinging of one leg over the other
 Pulsation of carotid artery in the neck
 Exaggerated boldness, verbosiveness and forced laughter
 Incoherence, trembling and sweating

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF POLYGRAPH

 To ascertain if the person is telling the truth

 To verify/compare conflicting statements
 To obtain additional leads to the facts of an offense
 To locate fruits or tools of the crime and whereabouts of wanted person
 To identify other involved in the case

PRINCIPAL USES OF POLYGRAPH

 It is an aid to the investigator

 It speeds up the process of investigation
 It eliminates innocent subjects
 The investigator can concentrate to one subject to determine truth or deception

PUPOSES OF POLYGRAPH EXAMINATION

To determine truth or deception based on the presence of the subject as appearing on

the recorded physiological response to question relative to the case under investigation.

THEORY OF POLYGRAPH TEST

When a mentally normal person tells a lie, physiological changes occur within her/his
body that could be recorded by a polygraph machine and evaluated by polygraph examiner.

POLYGRAPH CARDINAL RULE

“Any change from normal tracing requires explanation”

DEFINITION OF TERMS:

POLYGRAPHY- is the scientific method of detecting with the used of the polygraph
instrument. It is administered by asking questions to the subject pertinent to the case under
investigation.

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POLYGRAPH- the word polygraph is a composition of two words, “poly” which means “many”
and “graph” which means “writing chart”. It is defined as a scientific instrument purposely
designed to record psycho- physiological changes that occur within the body especially lying
when questioned.

DETECTION- is the act of discovering the existence, presence or facts of something hidden.

FEAR- is the emotional response to specific danger that appears to be potentially beyond a
person’s defensive powers.

STIMULUS- is a force or motion reaching the organism from the environment and excites the
external influence.

REACTION- is any activity or inhibition of previous activity of an organism or of an effector

(muscle or gland) or part of the organism resulting from the stimulus.

DECEPTION- an act of deceiving or misleading usually accomplished by lying.

LYING- is utter or conveying falsehood or creating a false or misleading impression with the
intention of affecting wrongfully the acts, opinion or affection of another.

EMOTION- meaning to stir up agitate or move it. It is an agitation, disturbance or tumultuous

physical or social movement constituting a departure from the usual calm state of the organism
as includes strong feeling, an impulse to avert action and internal bodily changes in respiration,
circulation or glandular action.

SPECIFIC RESPONSE- any deviation (change) from the subject’s normal tracing.

NORMAL TRACING- a tracing wherein no question is asked or irrelevant question is asked to

the subject.

POLYGRAPH CHART- the composite record of pneumograph, cardiosphygmograph and

galvagraph tracing from series of questions.

INTERROGATION- is the questioning of a person suspected of having committed an offense

or of a crime who is reluctant to make full disclosures of information in his possessions which is
pertinent to the investigation.

CONFESSION- it is the declaration of an accused expressly acknowledging his guilt of the

offense charged.
ADMISSION- it is a voluntary acknowledging in express terms or by implication, by a party in
interest or by another by whose statement he is legally bound, against his interest, of the
existence or truth of a fact in dispute material to the issue.

APPLICATION

Polygraph testing is often used to confirm or exonerate a person’s involvement in any

suspicious activity or wrongdoing. Polygraph examination is of great assistance in the absence
of other corroborative evidence. Polygraph examinations are currently being used in:

a. Criminal investigation
b. Pre- employment
c. Periodic Screening
d. Domestic Issues
e. Finance and Banking Investigations
f. Insurance Investigation
g. Employee Theft/Fraud
h. Sexual Harassment
i. Industrial Espionage/Pilferage

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THE INVESTIGATOR

To a large measure, the success of a polygraph examination depends upon the

professional capabilities of the polygraph examiner and the investigator. If the case has been
investigated properly, the polygraph examiner can contribute to the successful conclusion of the
investigation.

The investigator must remember that the polygraph is only an aid to their investigation,
and that a thorough and complete investigation must be conducted, aimed at securing and
verifying competent evidence to prove or disprove a criminal offense, rather than upon the
possibility of self- disclosure induced by a polygraph examination.

The following are some of the facts the polygraph examiner must have:

 Specific articles or exact amounts of money stolen obscene act committed at the scene
 The exact time (if known) the offense occurred
 Peculiar aspects of the offense or any strange or
 Known facts about a suspect’s actions or movement
 Facts indicating a connection between suspects, victims, and witnesses, especially when
they deny any connection
 Exact type of firearm, weapon, or tool used
 Background information pertaining to the suspect or subject

The investigator should inform the examiner of any unpublished facts of the offence,
particularly those expected to be known only to the victim or offender. These could include
the exact amount of money stolen, type of tools used, or method of entry. The examiner
may use specialized techniques for the polygraph test if he/she is in possession of certain
facts that only the suspect could know through participation in the offense under
investigation.

The investigator must be immediately available during the polygraph examination to

assist the examiner should a matter with which is not familiar.

THE SUBJECT

All people with a sound mind and body can be subjected to polygraph examination and
it should be explained that it is voluntary on the part of the subject and that will be conducted if
polygraph examination consent will be signed.

After the subject agreed and signed the consent to the polygraph examination, the
subject should be advised that no adverse would be taken because of the refusal to consent to
an examination, and that no record of refusal will be filed in any personal records.

A statement, admission, or confession obtained after appropriate rights warnings may

be entered as evidence, and the use of the polygraph does not alter this fact. Therefore, if the
examiner receives an oral or written confession, the examiner may generally testify in court
about it.

THE MACHINE

The polygraph instrument is best described as a scientific diagnosis triggered by

psychological or emotional changes in the subject being examined. Modern polygraphs, whether
analog or computerized, measure respiration (pneumograph), changes and responses in skin
(galvanic akin response- GSR), and relative blood pressure and pulse rate (cardiophysmograph).

a. Polygraph Transducers and the proper attachment

The polygraph instrument records the physiological changes that occur within the
human body. It is comprised of at least 3 components:
 First component: Cardiosphygmograph- it records the examinee’s pulse wave
amplitude, pulse rate, blood pressure, and changes in each variable through the

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 BP cuff and bladder. The examiner determines the examinee’s normal
cardiovascular activity, and monitors the changes that occur in response to
structured questions.

 Second section of the polygraph is the Pneumograph- the component is made

up of two corrugated rubber tubes that wraps around the examinee’s lower and
upper chest area. The section of the instrument records respiratory movements,
the examinee’s breathing rate and inhibition/exhalation pattern. The examinee’s
normal breathing pattern and respiration movements are analyzed throughout
the examination, and the examiner reviews changes that occurring during the
structured examination.

 Third section of the polygraph instrument is the Galvanograph- the body’s

response to electricity was measured and found to be an indicator of deception
due to changes that occur within the body when a person is deceptive. The
human body’s resistance to and conductance of electrical current fluctuates, and
these fluctuations that occur during structured question techniques are recorded
by the polygraph instrument through the use of two components that are
attached to the pointer and index fingers of the examinee. There is no electrical
shock being experienced during the use of this instrument, and nothing is felt by
the examinee other than the feeling of two small metal plates attached to the
fingers with Velcro.

b. Kymograph

It is also one of the components of polygraph instrument, a motor that pull or drives the
chart paper under the recording pen at the rate of 6 to 12 inches per minute.

c. Calibration

Polygraph instrument utilized for the recording of changes in the physiological responses as
produced by the human body during polygraph examination, at a minimum, will be
calibrated once per month according to the manufacturer’s guidelines as provided to ensure
that every examinee is afforded a polygraph examination to the manufacturers required
specification at the time that polygraph examination was conducted.
THE EXAMINATION ROOM

Ideally, polygraph tests should be performed in a quiet, private, sound proof room.
Unusual noise, such as the ringing of the telephone or conversation of persons outside the
examination room or presence of investigators or other spectators in the room itself, would
bring disturbances and distractions that in turn would distort the different physiological
recordings and seriously interfere with a satisfactory polygraph diagnosis.

Polygraph examinations are conducted in private with no other person permitted in the
examination room during the conduct of the examination (other than possibly an
interpreter).

Examination room should be very conventional as to the painted walls and furniture. It
should contain no decorations, pictures, or other objects that would distract the attention of
the person being examined, or which would allow him to capitalize on their existence for
psychological avoidance effort of the types subsequently described. The subject should not
face a glass window or another room during the test because possible outside distractions
may affect the test responses. The lighting condition of the room should be arranged in
such way that the power source is good enough but not very bright.

THE EXAMINER

Polygraph examiner is any person who is trained to conduct polygraph examination. The
Examiner’s responsibility lies in these 4 areas:

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  To the subject
 To the organization he represents
 To the client
 To the polygraph profession and himself

To the subject. The subject being tested must be given opportunity to “clear” the test and
obtain his or her desire. It would be a total malfeasance of duty and obligation for the examiner
to prevent in any manner such a conclusion by allowing his/her personal feelings, moral
feelings, or sense of values to interfere.

To the organization he represents. One of the primary responsibilities and duties of the
polygraph examiner is loyalty, at all cost; to the people he works with and to his organization.
Each must have a total faith in the capabilities of other. A very important collateral
responsibility, the sense of obligation of the polygraph examiner towards his organization,
combines with faith and loyalty in the form of obedience.

To the client. The polygraph examiner’s responsibility to the needs, wants, and desires of the
client is mandatory and manifold. Their responsibility requires a great and constant attention by
the examiner. Probably the greatest of all responsibilities to the client via the polygraph
examiner is in the final subject are entitled to know the test results, the facts and physiological
that warrant the examiner’s opinion.

To the polygraph profession and to himself. The polygraph examiner must believe that
what is worth doing at all worth doing well. His or her ability to comprehend that, which is
necessary and required, determines the measures and capacity of his individual sphere.
The examiner shall make reasonable efforts to determine that the examinee is a fit
subject for testing. Basic inquiries into the medical and psychological condition of the examinee
as well as any recent drug use should be made. Mental, physical or medical conditions of the
examinee that should be observable to, or that should be reasonably known by the examiner,
should also be evaluated prior to testing. No test should be conducted where valid results could
not be reasonably foreseen.

Qualification of a Polygraph Examiner

 Criminologist/B.S. Criminology Graduate/Psychology graduate, passed the civil Service

Professional Examination
 Polygraph training of at least 6 months at the PNP Crime Laboratory
 Six months of continuous actual polygraph examination under the supervision of a
qualified polygraph examiner of PNP Crime Lab

Duties and responsibilities

 Schedules, prepares and administers criminal, non-criminal, pre-employment of

polygraph examinations;
 Conducts interrogation of subjects and criminals, interviews victims, witnesses and job
applicants
 Analyzes, evaluates, and prepares detailed reports on polygraph examination results;
 Testifies as an expert witness at court proceedings/ hearings and gives depositions as
needed;
 Confer with investigators, prosecutors and defense attorneys regarding application of
polygraph examination to individual criminal investigations;
 Reviews criminal investigate reports, formulates polygraph test questions and
establishes test conditions for examinees;
 Calibrates and performs preventive maintenance on polygraph instrument, equipment
and supplies;
 Conducts lectures, demonstration, seminars, and training on Polygraph to students,
trainees, and visitors upon request by PNP, AFP, other government/ private agencies,
schools, etc.

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QUESTION FORMULATION

There will be no surprise questions asked during a polygraph examination, every

examination that the examinee is asked during an examination will have to be discussed with
the examinee prior to the test being conducted. The number of questions that will be asked
during a polygraph examination, with the exception of pre-employment polygraph examination
will range from 10 to 12 questions per test. The number of questions will vary depending on
which test structure the examiner decides to use based on the circumstances of the situation
and on the issue to be resolved.

Some of the questions will be questions that all examinees should answer truthfully,
while some questions will be related to the issue to be resolved and concerning similar matters.
Other questions will be based on past information, and no questions will ask that would require
an interpretation or opinion. Putting all of these questions together, the examiner can usually
make a determination as to whether or not the examinee has been truthful about the reason he
or she is taking a polygraph examination.

All of the questions asked of the examinee will require a yes or no answer only and
there should be no discussion during the test. The examinee will know all of the questions that
will be asked and the values are used to analyze the physiological tracings on the charted
response to questioning. When appropriate, the examiner will offer the examinee an
opportunity to explain significant physiological responses to certain questions.

Questions related to the following topics will not be asked during an examination, unless
those issues are directly to the issue to be resolved.

 Religious belief or affiliations

 Beliefs or opinions regarding racial matters
 Political belief or affiliations
 Beliefs, affiliations or lawful activities regarding unions or labor organizations
 Shall use language easily understood by the examinee
 Must be answerable by “yes” or “no”
QUESTION TYPES

In the different type of test questionnaires, three different types of question will be
used.

1. Irrelevant Questions: Irrelevant questions are essentially questions, which will give the
examiner a truthful answer. It is generally a “yes” answer.

Examples:

- Is your first name_________________?

- Is today_________________________?
- Are you sitting in a chair?
- Do you know how to write your name?

The irrelevant questions give the examiner a good idea how the subject reacts when being
truthful.

2. Control Questions: The control questions are questions on which all subject will be
potentially untruthful. They are used to absorb any anxiety of a truthful subject and draw the
attention away from the relevant questions. The control questions are designed that they will
draw a possible lie from the subject to items broadly similar to the issue on hand. The reaction
to the control questions will be compared to the relevant questions in order to give a result.

Examples:

- Before reaching the age of _______, have you ever stolen anything?

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 - Before reaching the age of _______, have you ever been involved in any type of case?
- Have you ever stolen anything from your present employment?
- Have you ever violated any rules and regulation from your office?

The question is typically a “no” question. When the subject says yes to a question, which
asks if he or she stole anything, the examiner will quietly ask what he or she stole. Most
subjects will then say. “Small things” or mention a few neglectable items. The examiner will
then rephrase: “Apart from what you have told me, have you ever stole anything?”, which
will then result in the desired “No” answer.

3. Relevant Questions: The relevant questions are the questions of which the examiner
wants a result. These are the questions that only the subject knows the truth about and is the
reason for undergoing the test.

Examples:

- Did you steal that car?

- Did you help anybody to steal a car?
- Did you get any reward coming from the theft of the car?
Or do you know the whereabouts of the missing car?
- Do you know who stole the missing car?

TYPE OF TESTS

Various and different types of test questionnaires have been developed during the
history of the polygraph. We cannot go through all the different techniques but will only discuss
the most used test today.

The Modified General Question Technique (MGQT) is a modified version of the Reid
Technique developed by the famous John E. Reid in 1953. The difference is in the strict
structuring of the test. No changes about Irrelevant, Controls, and Relevant are allowed. It is a
test adapted in most analog and computerized scoring algorithms.

The structure of the test is as follows:

1. Irrelevant- answerable by “Yes”

2. Irrelevant- answerable by “Yes”
3. Relevant- answerable by “No”
4. Irrelevant- answerable by “Yes”
5. Relevant- answerable by “No”
6. Control- answerable by “No”
7. Irrelevant- answerable by “Yes”
8. Relevant- answerable by “No”
9. Relevant- answerable by “No”
10. Control- answerable by “No”

THE PROCESS

A typical polygraph examination will include a period referred to as initial interview with
the investigator or the person requesting it phase, a pre- test phase, instrumental phase and a
chart interpretation phase. The whole examination could take between 11/2-3 hours.

A polygraph examination is a long process that can be divided into several stages. Here
is how a typical exam might work

 Initial Interview with the investigator or the person requesting it- the examiner
must obtain a comprehensive brief that identifies the circumstances, issues, allegations
and facts in dispute. The examiner receives reviews and formulates based on the facts
surrounding the case.

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  Pre- test- the examiner explains the test process to the examinee and reviews the facts
during the pre- test interview. This consists of an interview between the examiner and
examinee, where the two individuals get to learn each other. This may last for about
forty five (45) minutes to one (1) hours. At this point, the examiner gets the examinee’s
side of the story concerning the events under the investigation. While the subject is
sitting there answering questions, the examiner also profiles the examinee. The
examiner wants to see how the subject responds to questions and processes
information.

 Instrumental test- this test is to devoted to reviewing test questions with the subject
to ensure complete understanding of the questions; explaining the mechanical functions
of the polygraph instrument components to the examinee and gives additional and
preparing the subject psychologically for the test. The polygraph instrument components
are attached to the examinee and given additional instructions. The specific issue
examination questions are read to the subject several times while he/she is attached to
the polygraph sensors. The examiner asks 10 or 12 questions, only three of four which
are relevant to the issue or crime being investigated. When the examiner feels the
proper rapport has been established the testing phase of the examination can begin.

 Post-test- upon completion of the actual test phase of the examination the polygraph
examiner studies the chart tracings and arrives at one (1) of three (3) conclusions. The
conclusions are “No” Deception Indicated,” “Deception Indicated,” or “Inconclusive”.

NO DECEPTION- the subject is informed that the examination has been completed and the
charts will be subjected to a detailed analysis. The subject is assured that evaluation, review of
the charts will be accomplished in a few days, and that the investigator assigned to the case will
be furnished the results at that time.

DECEPTION INDICATED- if deception is present, the examiner then interrogates the

examinee and attempts to determine the cause of specific physiological responses on the
charts.

INCONCLUSIVE- when a conclusion cannot be formed following the test phase, or an

examination is initiated but cannot be completed until some future date, the examination is
considered inconclusive. This is normally due to a temporary physiological disorder (such as
cold or minor injury), instrument failure, or the ability of examiner and examinee to establish
rapport on a particular day. An inconclusive polygraph examination may be continued later.

NO EXAMINATION- the examiner may render a “No Examination” conducted on the remarks
when an examination cannot be completed. This may be necessary should the examinee refuse
to continue the examination before the collection of polygraph charts, before sufficient charts
have been obtained upon which an opinion of deception or no deception may be based, or the
examinee, in the opinion of the examiner, is deliberately distorting the polygraph charts.

CHART MARKINGS

Chart Markings play an important role interpretation of polygraph charts taken from the
subject. Polygraph chart mean nothing to a skilled examiner if it does not contain any markings.
Markings may include but not limited to the following:

X- Start of examination instruction

60- Cuff pressure
I- Sensitivity of GSR
A- Mode of GSR
//- Beginning and ending of a question
+- Yes
- - NO
M- Movement
C- Cough

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A/a- Adjust

CHART TRACINGS

SW- Swallow
T- Talk
DB- Deep Breath
EI- Examiner’s Instruction
B- Belch
Y- Yawn
SF- Sniff
SN- Sneeze
RQ- Repeat Question

Once the polygraph examiner has collected the charts, he/she will analyze the results
before giving a decision as to the subject’s truthfulness or deception to the given issue.

The lie is detected by physiological changes that occur in the body when a person is not
truthful. When a person is deceptive, numerous physiological changes occur, such as:

- Increase or decrease in blood volume

- Increase or decrease of the heart rate
- Changes in respiration, perspiration

When a person is truthful, the body functions within its normal patterns with no
significant or consistent changes.

Rules on Chart Interpretation:

1. There must be specific responses.

2. It must form a deviation from norm.
3. The specific responses must appear simultaneously in the three (3) charts.

LEGAL STATUS

a. The polygraph test is an invaluable aid to investigation. If a subject agrees to

voluntarily submit to take the test and if it is properly conducted, his rights are not
violated. In the same manner, no polygraph test can be effectively employed on a
reluctant subject. The charts derived therefore would be indicative more of bodily
movements, reticence and anger rather than an objective basis for an opinion of lying,
hence voluntary consent is essential.

b. The polygraph examiner’s opinion and his analysis and interpretation of the test
charts generally, are not acceptable as evidence particularly if standing alone. The
examiners may however agree to the test.

c. Rejection of lie detector test is not based upon inaccuracy of the instrument but
rather towards fallibility of the examiner and the subject as well as to the query whether
the test questions are sound. The question as to whether the polygraph is infallible is
analogous as to asking whether a clinical thermometer, stethoscope, x-ray machines or
compound microscope is infallible. A trained scientist maybe mistaken in what he sees or
bears by any these devices. Like the thermometer and the stethoscope, the polygraph is
simply an instrument for noting or recording physiological processes and it is possible for
the examiner to be mistaken in his interpretation of the recording. Even in the best of
clinics, the interpretation is not 100% accurate, but that does not imply that the
machine should not be used. The same can be said for the polygraph.

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PPSC-SLP-2015-06-01
 d. In any case not substantiated by valid confession or other definite evidence, any
conclusion based solely upon the analysis of the polygraph charts constitutes an opinion
and is in direct proportion to the expertise and integrity of the examiner. Those who
oppose the use of polygraph examiner’s report in the courtroom do so mainly on the
question of its accuracy. Aside from certain psychological considerations, they blame this
accuracy on the failure of examiners to use uniform, procedures I conducting this test.

e. Polygraph and expert testimony relating thereto can be admissible upon stipulation to
corroborate other evidence of a defendant’s participation in the crime charged or to
corroborate or impeach his own testimony under the following conditions:

- The counsel of both parties and the subject all sign a written stipulation
providing for his submission to the test and for the subsequent admission to the
graphs and the examiner’s opinion thereon on behalf of either the defendant of
the state.

- That the admissibility of the test result is subject to the discretion of the trial
judge, i.e., if the trial judge is not convinced that the examiner is qualified or the
test was conducted under improper conditions, he may refuse to accept such
evidence.

- That if the graphs and examiner’s opinion are offered as evidence, the opposing
party shall have the right to cross- examine the examiner’s respecting.

a. The examiner’s qualification and training

b. The conditions under which the test was administered
c. The limitations of and possibilities for error in the techniques
d. At the discretion of the trial judge any other matter deemed pertinent to the inquiry

RELIABILITY

Considerable scientific research has demonstrated that the pattern of physiological

changes during a polygraph test provides the basis for making highly accurate inference
concerning truth or deception. The vast majority of scientific evidence supports the reliability
and accuracy of comparison question tests for assessing credibility.

ACCEPTABILITY

Generally, polygraph examination result is not accepted as evidence in the Philippine

court but it may be presented as part of circumstantial evidence in a determined condition set
by the trial judge. It is the role of the courts to determine guilt or innocence, not a polygraph
examination result.
Polygraph tests are not intended to be a means for delivering a legal verdict, but rather
an invaluable investigate tool. Polygraph testing has allowed investigators to either exonerate or
implicate suspects or witnesses.

Polygraph testing has saved investigators and companies thousands of pesos in

investigate costs and resources by narrowing the focus of enquiry and providing further
investigate leads.

National Forensic Science Training Institute |SLP

PPSC-SLP-2015-06-01