Fooling the polygraph examiner, not the machine: how the “lie detector” really works
1 July 20:14
YOUTUBE
A polygraph is not a “lie detector” in the literal sense of the term and does not independently determine whether a person is telling the truth or not. The device merely records the physiological reactions of the human body, and the conclusion is drawn by a specialist. Volodymyr Vedmid, head of the National Association of Polygraph Examiners of Ukraine, stated this in an interview with the YouTube channel "Komersant Ukrainian".
According to Vedmid, the accuracy of the test depends on the polygraph examiner’s qualifications and how correctly they interpret the data obtained.
“It’s impossible to fool a polygraph. But you can try to mislead the polygraph examiner, and here everything depends on their competence.
A polygraph is just a device that records a person’s physiological reactions. It doesn’t make decisions. The specialist makes the decision,” Vedmid noted.
As the expert explained, modern polygraphs simultaneously monitor between five and ten physiological indicators. These include changes in skin conductance, capillary blood flow, respiration, blood pressure, and other bodily reactions.
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At the same time, Vedmid emphasized that the software does not automatically produce a result in the form of “true” or “false.” The polygraph examiner’s task is to evaluate a person’s reactions to specific questions and determine which of them are significant to that person.
He also noted that test results are not always unambiguous. In addition to conclusions regarding the reliability or unreliability of information, there is another valid outcome—when it is impossible to determine a result.
“It’s better to state that you were unable to determine the result and conduct additional testing than to later be held hostage by an incorrect conclusion,” he emphasized.
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