The Lie detectors UK Examiners use the latest research and applies latest techniques and thus stays up to date in moving the industry ahead with a greater pace. The American Polygraph Association conference, which will be held in the month of September this year in America will be attended by us and we can understand why research is so important by reading below.

The research on scientific polygraph has been conducted by people ever since 1917 when the Harvard psychologist William Marston published his first lie detection experiment. Ever since the experiment was published, thousands of articles and experimental reports has been published on the matter showing the strengths, weakness and potential of the polygraph testing. Many major techniques and theories on polygraph testing have been developed over time and the names such as Keeler, Larson, Reid and Backster has been associated with it. Each of this person has made very important contributions in their respective fields. Their contributions to the field have played an important role in the evolution of polygraphy. When a new idea is launched that seems promising, it is very important to take a long and an objective look at it and determine how effective it is. This process of looking at it in detail and determining its potential is called research. What the definition of research means in a practical sense is that polygraph research shows us our capability of how good we can become and what we have to do to achieve it. If the research is not performed properly, it could result in the failure of the theory in its initial stage. Hence a long and detailed research is must before moving ahead with any conclusion.

Some Research Evaluated Theories

In order to check the worth of a theory, scientists often perform experiments to determine it. During an initial stage of a theory, it is nothing but an interesting idea. At this stage, no one can predict the real value of it. To evaluate such a theory, the best way is to test it in an unbiased and objective experimental setting. For example, when control/comparison question test (CQT) was a theory and it was proposed, the only way to determine its potential was by studying it in experimental conditions. It was important that the experiment should be tested by people other than the one who developed it, i.e. people other than John Reid, who was the developer as the other people didn’t have anything to do with the experiment. Many scientists tested the theory and concluded it to be accurate. This validated the theory of Reid’s.

Some Research Evaluates Techniques

A research is not a justification as it is merely a development of an idea in its initial stage. It helps to identify the best test formats, question types, instrumentations and scoring systems and helps to determine how good the theory is. For example, many experiments have shown that Zone of Comparison Test (ZCT) can be 96% accurate which means that when DI and NDI decision is made, those decisions are 96% accurate. This doesn’t mean that whenever you and I perform a ZCT we can claim 96% accuracy. We can only claim such level of accuracy when we do everything exactly the same way like the researcher did including the pretext interview, question formulation and sequencing, numerical scoring techniques, etc. If any of these values are changed, the accuracy will not support. Conversely, if research shows that the testing technique is not particularly accurate, we cannot say that it is better than another.

How Polygraph Research Benefits You and Me

Research literature, i.e. reading and understanding scientific experiments help to move from option to fact. It gives us the option to pick and choose amongst different techniques and approaches and to identify the best way available. Once we are able to achieve it, there are several practical benefits that accrue to us:

  1. Knowing the Polygraph research literature helps with the job
    Using the best valid technique in situations helps to gain high overall accuracy. The technique we learned in the polygraph school might not be the most valid, but if we are serious about our job, the research might say that it’s time to change.
  2. We become better expert witness after knowing the polygraph research literature
    When you’re testifying at trial, the court gets impressed by experts who base their opinions on the objectives and scientific research and you are able to support your opinion with such information. Having such knowledge makes you a credible expert witness.
  3. Knowing polygraph research literature makes us more successful in the private sector
    Many people don’t know this, but serious scientists have been performing polygraph research for decades. Most of this research has been published in most prestigious scientific journals. Once they realise that such research literature exists, they start to rely on you for information, thus making you a more valuable asset than before.