Regarding the polygraph, which of the following statements is/are TRUE?
A)The majority of studies show it to be at least 98 percent accurate, regardless of the examiner.
B)The polygraph cannot tell the difference between lying, fear, and anxiety.
C)The polygraph is much more likely to label a guilty person guilty than an innocent person guilty.
D)All of these statements are true.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

While A and C are false, B is true. The polygraph measures physiological changes in responses to questions, but it cannot determine the cause of those changes, so it cannot distinguish between lying and other factors such as fear or anxiety. The accuracy of the polygraph varies widely depending on the examiner and the situation, but it generally falls much lower than 98 percent. The polygraph is also more likely to produce false positives (labeling an innocent person guilty) than false negatives.

Regarding the Polygraph, Which of the Following Statements Is/are TRUE