Polygraphy - The course focuses on the study of lie detection and interrogation.

It deals with the method, techniques of

conduction polygraph examination and other methods of lie-detection.
(4 Hours Lecture)

THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLYGRAPH

Maybe the best-known method of detecting deception is a polygraph technique often incorrectly referred as the
“lie detector”.
Polygraph refers to the scientific method of detecting deception with the used of the polygraph instrument
(machine). It is administered by asking questions to the subject relevant to the case under investigation.
While the word polygraph is compose of two words; “poly” which means many and “graph” which means
writings. Polygraph refers to an instrument designed for recording changes in blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and
skin resistance as indicative of emotional disturbance especially of lying when questioned.

EARLY METHODS OF DETECTING DECEPTION

Ordeal, Trial or Judicium Dei is a common method of deciding guilt or innocence and a practice of referring
disputed questions to the judgment of God, determined by various means, particularly by physical tests.
For the first decades of his renewed existence, the Medieval Coroner had to be present at some curious and
barbaric rites connected with the law. These were the various “ordeals”, a semi-magical method of determining guilt or
innocence which goes right back to pre-historic times through many cultures prior to the coming of the Anglo-Saxons.
Throughout Europe the ordeal existed in various forms under the sanction of law and was closely related to the
oath. The most prevalent kinds of ordeal were those of fire, water, and the wager of battle.
Red Hot Iron Ordeal
Practiced in the hill tribe of North Bengal. The accused had to carry a bar of red-hot iron in his hands while he walked
nine marked paces. In the unlikely event of no burns appearing on his hands, he was adjudged innocent. Otherwise, he
was promptly hanged. A variation of licking the red-hot iron of the suspect had to run barefooted and blind folded over
nine red-hot plowshares. The hand or foot was bound up, and inspected three days afterwards. If the accused had
escaped unhurt, the person was pronounced innocent, if hurt, the person was guilty.
Wager of Battle
In the wager of battle the judgment of God was thought to determine the winner, and the defeated party was allowed
to live as a recreant, that is, on retracting the perjury that had been sworn. Similar in concept is the Burmese ordeal by
divination, which involved two sides in a dispute holding lighted candles. Whoever’s candle lasted was pronounced the
winner.
Ordeal by Balance
Practiced in the Institute of Vishnu, India. A scale of balance is used, in one end of the scale the accused is placed in the
other end is a counter balance. The person will step out of the scale and listens to a judge to diver an exhortation on the
balance and get back in. f he was found lighter than before, then he should be acquitted.
Ordeal by Water
In this type of ordeal, the water was symbolic of the flood of the Old Testament. Washing sin from the face of the earth,
allowing to members of the lower classes.
Boiling Water Ordeal – According to the laws of Athelstan, the first king of England, the ordeal of boiling water consisted
of lifting a stone out of boiling water, with the hand inserted as deep as the wrist. More serious offense demanded that
arm was submerged up to the elbow. The burn was bandaged for three days before fateful examination.
One pace in Cordillera still practice boiling water ordeal but it is performed by various rituals. This ordeal is administered
to the accused if being a thief.
Cold Water Ordeal – The person allowed the ordeal of cold water, the usual mode of trial for witchcraft, was flung into
a body of water. In this ordeal, the accused was tied at feet and hands and lowered to cold water by rope. This rope is
tied around the defendant’s waist and had a knot a particular distance form the torso. If both knot and accuse dipped
beneath the surface of the water, the accused was proven innocent. If the knot is dry or if the water refused to receive
him, the defendant was guil
Ordeal by Rice Chewing
It is performed with a kind of rice called sathee, prepared with various incantations. The person on trial eats the sathee,
with the face to the east and then spits upon a pea leaf. If saliva is mixed with blood or the corner of his mouth swells or
he trembles, he is declared to be a liar. Indians practice this ordeal.
Ordeal of the Red Water
The ordeal of the “sassy bark” or red water is used in the wide region of Eastern Africa. The accused is made to fast for
twelve hours, and then swallows a small amount of rice. He is then immersed into dark colored water. The water is
actually emetic and if the suspect ejects all the rice, he is considered innocent of the charge. Otherwise, the accused is
guilty.
Ordeal by Combat
The aggrieved party claimed the right to fight the alleged offender or to pay a champion to fight for him. The victor is
said to win not by his own strength but because of supernatural powers that had intervened on the side of the right, as
in the duel in the European Ages in which the “judgment of Godwas thought to determine the winner”. If still alive after
the combat, the loser might be hanged or burned for a criminal offense or have a hand cur off and property confiscated
in civil actions.
In England, King Henry III abolished all legal ordeals except Ordeal by Combat. This ordeal was vividly dramatized in the
movie “Ivanhoe” based on the novel of the same title.
Ordeal of the Corsnaed (Ordeal by Blessed Bread)
A priest puts the corsnaed or hallowed bread into the mouth of the accused, with various imprecations. If the accused
swallowed it he was freed from punishment.
Test of the Eucharist
This was applied chiefly among the clergy and monks. When they took the host it was believed that God would smite the
guilty with sickness or death. Others believe that if the accused is innocent, when given a poisonous drink for him to
take in, Angel Gabriel will descend from heaven to prevent the accused taking in the poisonous drink.
Ordeal of the Bier
It was an ancient belief that the slain dead could point out their killer. In England, it was customary for the accused to
approach the bier where the corpse lay. In the view of the witness, the wounds of the victim were observe to see if they
began to bleed again. They believe that murder is near, which causes the blood to floor out from the wound of the
victim. This ordeal was recorded well by Shakespeare in “Richard III”.
Ordeal of the Needle
A red-hot was made to pierced the lower lip of the alleged criminal and if blood flowed from the wound, he was deemed
guilty; but if none, he is innocent. Wanaka, Eastern Africa practiced this ordeal.
Ordeal by Heat and Fire
The accused walked barefooted over red hot coals, or was made to walk through fire, if he was unharmed by fire he was
considered innocent.
Trial of the Cross
The accuser and the accused were placed under the cross with their arms extended or crosswise and the first to move
his hands or suffer them to fall was held guilty. Or the accused was placed before relics and two dice were then
produced, one marked with a cross. Of these, one was taken up at hazard. If it happened to bear the sign of the cross,
the accused was acquitted.
Trial of the Waxen Shirt
The accused was dressed in cloth covered with wax and walked barefoot over burning colas. If he was unhurt by the fire
and the wax did not melt, he was considered innocent.
Hereditary Sieve Method
Hans Gross, the Father of Criminalistics, in his famous book in criminal Investigation in which beans were thrown into a
sieve as the name of the suspect was called, mentioned this ordeal. If the beans jump out of the sieve, the owner of the
sieve is innocent. If the beans remained in the sieve the person named is a thief.
Donkey’s Tail Ordeal
As a psychological theory, a donkey is placed in a room alone and observed. If the donkey cried a judgment of guilt in
crimes, is pressured. It is believed that deep inside one’s conscience, he is guilty.
Ordeal of the Tiger
Practiced in Siam, the accused and accuser are place inside a cage of a tiger; if the tiger spare one of them he is
considered innocent.

OTHER COUNTRIES PRACTICING ORDEAL

Burma – To ordeal by divinations is being in this country, whereby the two contesting parties are furnished with candles
of equal size and lighted simultaneously; the owner of the candle that outlast the other is adjudged to have won
his cause.
Madagascar – Legal authorities practiced trial y Ordeal. The supposed criminal was made to drink; a poisonous fruit
called “tangena”, a small dose can be fatal. By managing the size of the dose, those who administer it can decide
result.
Borneo – The accuser and accused were presented shellfish placed on a plate. An irritating fluid was then pored on the
shellfish and the litigant whose shellfish moved first was adjudged the winner.

Greece – A suspended axe was spun at the center of a group of suspects. Soon as the axe stopped, whoever was in the
line with the axe’s blade was supposed to be guilty out by the divine providence.

Nigeria – The priest greased a cock’s feather and pierced the tongue of the accused. If feather passed through the
tongue easily, the accused was deemed innocent. If not, the accused is guilty. Another method practiced in the
same country is the pouring of corrosive liquid into the eyes of the accused who was supposed to be unharmed
in innocent. Pouring of boiling oil over the hand of the accused with the usual requisites for guilt or innocence is
also practiced.

In the middle of the 13th century the ordeal ha died out in England and on the other Continents.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF POLYGRAPH

In the middle of 19th century Dr. Hans Gross defined “search for truth” as a basis and goal of all criminal
investigation. He stated, “a large part of the criminal work is nothing more than a battle against lies”.
Throughout the centuries, man sustained to experiment with more scientific methods in determining truth and
deception with the following scientist having contributed much in the development of the polygraph instrument.
Attempts to correlate blood pressure and respiration rate with lying had been made since the late 19th century.
John A. Larson, a medical student at the University of California, devised the first practical polygraph in 1921. His
instrument gave a continuous recording of blood pressure and respiration. Later, technique was developed for
measuring stress-induced variations in the electrical conductivity of the skin (galvanic skin reflex, or GSR); and Leonarde
Keeler marketed a single three-channel instrument combining Larson’s device with a GSR mechanism in the 1930s.
Keeler’s instrument quickly gained acceptance for use in criminal interrogation and for personnel section and theft
control in commercial institutions. In recent years the Psychological Stress Analyzer instrument that measures stress-
induced changes in the tonal quality of the voice has also come into wide use.

1. Development of Cardio-Sphymograph
Angelo Mosso (1895) – He studied fear and its influence on the heart. His observation subsequently formed the basis for
detecting technique.
He developed the sphygmomanometer and “scientific cradle”. Wwhich was designed to measure the flow of blood while
a person lay on his back in a prone position.
Cesare Lombroso (1836-1909) – He employed the first scientific instrument to detect deception, which is known as
Hydrosphymograph, this instrument measures changes in pulse and blood pressure when suspects were asked about
their involvement in or knowledge of specific response.
He was accorded the distinction of being the first person to utilize an instrument for the purpose of detecting lies.
William Moulton Martson (1915) – He was considered as the father of the modern polygraph. He dealt with the
sphygmomanometer and made researches on the usefulness of sphygmomanometer in detecting lies, which was used
to obtain periodic discontinuous blood pressure reading during the course of a test.

He recorded the respiration and noted the time of subject’s verbal responses.
He also experimented with galvanometer to record skin resistance changes and a gripping device to record tension.
John Larson 1921) – He developed an instrument that continually and simultaneously measures blood pressure pulse
and respiration.

He designed the first two recording channel polygraph in the history. The first mechanical form of detecting deceptions
because it does not only have a recording pen for cardiosphymograph, pneumograph and galvanograph but also it has
the muscular movement pen for the arms and thighs.
Leonarde Keeler – In 1949, he invented the “Keeler Polygraph” which is an improvement of Larson’s apparatus. This
apparatus was with components for recording blood pressure, pulse and respiration changes. A galvanometer what is
known as the galvanic skin reflex or electrodermal response generally referred to as the GSR.
He also demised a metal bellows and designed a kymograph that pulled at a constant speed, a chart paper under the
recording pens from a roll of chart paper located inside the instrument.
2. Development of Pneumograph Component
A. Vittorio Benussi (1914) He detected deception with a pneumograph, an instrument that graphically
measures the inhalation and exhalation. He demonstrated the changes in breathing patterns by noting the
changes in respiration – expiration ratio during deception.
B. Harold Burtt (1918) – He determined that respiratory changes were indication of deception. He found out
that changes in systolic blood pressure were of greater value in determining deception than in changes in
respiration.
3. Development of Galvanograph
A. Luigi Galvani (1791) – He is Italian physiologist who was accorded the distinction for developing the galvanic
skin reflex (GSR) or the galvanometer, which records electrical bodily resistance in terms of ohms, the lowest
current ever recorded. The GSR reflected emotional changes by measuring changes in person’s skin
resistance to electricity.
B. Sticker (1897) – He made the first suggestion for using galvanograph for detecting deception based on the
works of several predecessors.
He theorized that galvanic skin reflex is influenced by existing mental impression and that will have no
effect upon it.

C. Veraguth (1907) – He was the first one to use the term “psychogalvanic reflex”. He believed that the
electrical phenomenon is due to the activity of sweat glands.
4. Development of Questioning Technique
A. Keeler (1942) – He developed the “relevant – irrelevant” test. The theory of this test is that guilty reacts only
to relevant questions and innocent shows no reactions.
He added the “personally embarrassing question” (EPQ) to his relevant – irrelevant technique, which
was designed to elicit a reaction ony from the innocent subject, reasoning that the guilty would be still
more concerned with the relevant or crime question. However, it was found that both the innocent and the
guilty reached to the question.

He included un-reviewed control questions or “surprise question” that serve as the same purpose as the
EPQ. Although EPQ apparently ceased in 1951. The surprise control question is still part of some
relevant/irrelevant technique used today. Keeler is also credited with introducing the ‘card test” and
specialized in “peak of tension test”.

B. John E. Reid (1950) – He developed the “reviewed control question” consisting of a known lie incorporated
into relevant – irrelevant test. The theory of the test is to stimulate the innocent subject, to identify the
general nervous tension and guilt complex reactor and to improve contract between innocent and guilty
subjects. He also discovered the “guilt – complex test” administered to the overly responsive subject.
C. Cleve Backster (1960) – Backster conceived the psychological sit theory that forms the basis of his zone of
comparison technique that provides constant monitoring of the subjects reactivity and designed to disclosed
outside issue. This is known as the “Backster Zone Comparison Test”.
5. Early Publication of Polygraph
 A. Sir James Mackenzie (1906) – A famous heart specialist. It was said that “polygraph” exists as early as 1906
but it is not being used to detect deception. He first descried the instrument in an article entitled “The Ink
Polygraph” which appeared in the British Medical journal in 1908.
B. Vitorio Benussi (1913) – He presented a paper before the second meeting of the Italian Society of
Psychology in Rome, on the subject of his experiments regarding respiratory symptoms of lying.
C. Richard O. Archer (1953) – The first polygraphist to record simultaneously on regular basis the chest and
abdominal breathing patterns. He was also the first on to record simultaneously two galvanic skin reflexes.
In 1996 he founded the Journal of polygraph Science, the oldest of the polygraph publications.

D. Ricahrd I. Golden (1969) – He presented a paper at the Annual Seminar of American Polygraph Association
at Houston, Texas regarding his experiments using existing control question techniques but requiring the
subject to answer each question twice. The first time truthfully and the second time with lie, for the
purpose or requiring additional psycho-physiological data from the examinee by comparing his subjective
truthful answer with a known lie to the same question.
6. Other Pioneers in the Field of Deception Detection
A. Francis Galton (1879) – He developed the much acclaimed psychological test known as the Word
Association test, whereby the patient is presented with group of words sufficiently separated in time to
allow the patient to utter his first thought generated by each word. Dr. Carl Guztav Jung later developed the
work and experiment of Galton.
B. Allen Bell (1972) – He is an American inventor who developed a devices called Psychological Stress Evaluator
(PSE). This instrument detects slight trembling in the voice, which maybe interpreted to determine if person
is telling the truth.
C. Anton Mesmer – In 1778 he was the first one to introduce hypnotism as a method of detecting deception.

UNIT II
TYPES PF LIAR, LIES ANDSIGNS OF LYING
Children and those who suffer from autism cannot lie. Children cannot lie, but as they acquire language, they
learn to co-operate with others and learn about deception, in order to survive in society. Those who suffer from autism
cannot lie or comprehend deception, and live in a lonely and isolated world. Lying has an unquestionable value in human
culture, for the ability to deceive one’s peers has evolved into one of the most advanced and powerful of our cerebral
functions. It is power that helps us succeed in love, was and commerce.
A. TYPES OF LIARS
1. Panic Liar – A person who lies in order to avoid the consequences of confession. He or she is afraid of
embarrassment to loved ones and is a serious blow to his her ego.
2. Occupational Liar – Is someone who has lied for years. This person is a practical liar and lies when it has a higher
payoff than telling the truth.
3. Tournament Liar – A person who loves to lie and is excited by the challenge of not being detected. He views an
interview as another contest and wants to win. He lies because it is only weapon remaining with which to fight.
This person realizes that he or she will probably be convicted but will not given anyone the satisfaction of
hearing him or her confess. He wants people to believe that the law is punishing an innocent person.
4. Ethnological Liar – A person who was trained not to be a squealer. This person loves to be interrogated and has
taken a creed either personal or with others, that he or she will never reveal the truth, the creed of underworld
gangs.
5. Psychological Liar – This type of liar has no conscience. He knows no regret for his dishonest actions and no
manifestation of guilt. This is the most difficult type of liar because he is good actor he can fool most
investigators.
6. Pathological Liar – A person who cannot distinguished what is right from wrong. This are those person who is
mentally sick.
7. Black Liar – A person who always pretends and a hypocrite.
B. TYPES OF LIES
Direct Denial
This is a direct denial of the act in question that creates an emotional sense of disturbance. This disturbance refers to the
conflict between what is true and the attempted deception that creates an internal battle in the mind. Example: “I did
not do it.” The vague response permits the person to evade inner conflict while seeming to answer the question. The
reply given to a query must be evaluated in terms of what was asked to know if the answer is proper.
Lie of Omission
This is a type of lie that people usually used because it is simple to tell. Individuals who will make use of this type of lie
will tell the truth while omitting details that could create possible troubles.
Lie of Fabrication
This is the most difficult type of lie that a subject could use in an interview.
Lie of Minimization
In this type of lie individual will accept that something has occurred but downplays the implication. Lie of minimization
could be used if a subject wanted to stay close to the truth, however, he covers the truth for his her own benefit.
Example: Mr. X is complaining because Mr. B boxed him and as a result the nose of Mr. X is broken. If Mr. b uses the lie
of minimization, he will state that he only slapped Mr. X.
Lie of Exaggeration
This is a lie often used to exaggerate things for the hope of obtaining some advantage. This is also often found on
resume, where applicant exaggerates his or her experiences, knowledge, skills, salary and length of service. The
exaggerated claims can be verified by looking for inconsistencies of the subject story.
 OTHER TYPES OF LIES
1. Benign or White Lie – used to maintain harmony of friendship, harmony of the home or office.
2. Red Lie – this is common to communist countries. This lie is used to destroy other ideologies by means of
propaganda.
3. Malicious Lie – A chronic lie purely used to mislead justice, a pure dishonest to obstruct justice.

OTHER PARTS OF POLYGRAPH MACHINE

1. Pen Lifter – raises or lowers pens to 3 positions

2. Program Pacer – a programmable cueing device for question and answer spacing.
3. Paper tear bar – provides cutting edge for convenient removal of charts.
4. Foam Pen Hold-Down – keeps pens in place when instrument is being transported.
5. Atache Compartment – storage for all forms and supplies. Slightly smaller in executive Ultra Scribe.
6. Accessiry Storage & Optional Calibration Checking Fixture – slightly smaller in Executive Ultra Scribe.
7. Subject Connections – stylish grouping provides neat, professional appearance. Facilities set-up and storage.
8. Mechanical Pneumo Module – recording part of Mechanical Pneumo Channel
9. Galvanic Skin Response Module – recording part of GSR channel.
10. Multi-Fucntion module – selectable recording module. Can be used as:
a. Electronic Pnuemo Channel
b. Electronic Cardio Channel
c. Cardio Activity Monitor (CAM)
d. Cardio Tech, or other accessories
11. Mechanical Cardio Module – recording part of mechanical Cardio Module.
12. Aper Storage Compartment – holds two spare rolls of chart paper or other supplies.
13. AC Power Receptacle – power cords connects here; international standard supplies.
14. Power Switch and Circuit Breaker – applies power to instrument. Built-in resettable circuit breaker protects
instrument and eliminates need for fuses. To re-set, simply press “off” and then “on” again.
15. Chart drive Roller Lever – lifts drive roller for paper changes and chart removal.
16. Power analyzer – automatically indicates whether wall outlets is properly wired and grounded for proper
instrument operation and subject safety.
17. Stimulus Maker – marks significant events on the chart.
18. Sphygmomanometer Dial – reads operating pressure of cardio channels.
19. Pneumo 1 – pneumatic connection for upper (thoracic) pneumograph. Not connected ininstrument with only
one Pneumo Channel.
20. Pnuemo 2 – pneumatic connection for lower (abdominal0 pnuemograph.
21. Cuff – pneumatic connection for Cardio Channel subject cuff tubing.
22. Pump – pneumatic connection for hand pump used to inflate subject cuff.
23. Mechanical Cardio Switch – disengages Mechanical cardio Module from pneumatic system for low pressure
Electronic cardio Operation.

Major Parts of the Polygraph Instrument

Pneumograph – this records changes of breathing of the subject it consists of transducers and pneumograph tubes
which are fastened around the subject’s abdominal and thoracic part of the body. The pneumograph tube contains
certain volume of air. As the subject inhale and exhale, the tube an accordion like expand and contract causing changes
are drive to the recording bellows causing a forward and backward movement of the pivot shaft to which the recording
pen are connected.
Galvanograph – records the skin resistance of the subject to a very small amount of electricity. The GSR (Galvanic Skin
Reflex) comprise of finger or palm electrodes that is attached on the subject’s finger primarily the index and ring finger
or the palm to check and detect skin resistance towards a small amount of electricity, to operate the galvanometer
supply a current and the mechanical movement of seven inches recording pen will take place.
Cardiosphymograph – records the changes of blood pressure and pulse rate it consist of arm cuff. The arm cuff is place
around the subject’s arm with the covered rubber bladder part centered at the brachial artery about an inch above the
elbow and must be inflated by a pump bulb to put air into the system, which recorded in sphygmomanometer in
millimeters of mercury. After inflation, the arm cuff becomes so susceptible to monitor changes of blood pressure as
well as pulse rate and amplitude to be send out to the recording bellow and be recorded by the cardio pen on the chart.
Kymograph – is sometimes referred as a chart drive module. This is a motor that pulls or drive the chart paper under the
recording pen at the same time at the rate of six to twelve inches per minute. Paper is imprinted with horizontal line
spaced at ¼ inch interval.
Development of Polygraph Test and Questioning Technique
Leonarde Keeler (1949)
In 1926, Leonarde Keeler constructed a more satisfactory instrument than the one used by Larson, later on
Keeler made additional changes in the instrument, and at the time of his death in 1949 the “Keeler Polygraph” included,
in addition to units for recording blood pressure-pulse and respiration changes, a Galvanometer for recording what is
known as the Galvanic Skin Reflex (GSR). Keeler is also to be credited with introducing the card test, and specialized
peak tension test.
Peak Tension Test – this one pertinent question refers to some detail of the incident or occurrence (e.g., the
kind of stolen, the kind of implement used in a crime, etc...) which could not have been known by an innocent person or
by anyone who had not have been informed previously of such a detail. And when it is mentioned during the test, a peak
of tension may appear in one or more of the subject’s polygraph tracing.
Card Test
Immediately upon completion of the first test, and with the blood pressure cuff still deflated, the examiner then
tells the subject; “here’s another part of the test,” where upon the examiner shows him seven variously numbered
cards, face down, and he is instructed to take one, look at it, and put it back in the group without showing it to the
examiner or otherwise identifying the number. And the examiner should watch the subject to be sure he actually looks
at the nmber.
After the selection is made, the examiner proceeds to shuffle the cards and instruct the subject to answer “no”
to each question concerning the cards, even when asked the number of the card he selected. In other words, the
subject’s answer to one of the answer will be a lie.
In order to render the card test fully effective it is very important that the examiner be certain the subject
understands the meaning of the card test, and the subject realizes he is to answer “no” to all cards, including the chosen
one. The examiner tells the subject that the card test is an important as the other tests and that if the Polygraph can pick
out the card he has chosen then the examiner will know the instrument is working properly.
During the card test the examiner calls off each card as part of the question: “Did you pick number______?”

The card test is conducted in much the same manner as the regular test, with time intervals of about 15 sec
between each question.

After the subject has answered the chosen card question, which should be about the third or fourth card asked,,
only one more of the unchosen card questions should be asked, after which the examiner should repeat the chosen card
question. This will serve the purpose of a further check as to the possible deliberateness of any distortions which may
have appeared previously in the tracings when the chosen card question was asked.

John E. Reid (1950)

In 1945, one of the present authors (Reid) found that by various forms of unobservable muscular activity, a
subject’s blood pressure could be changed in such a manner as to affect seriously the accuracy of the examiner’s
diagnosis. He then devised an instrument (the Reid Polygraph) for recording muscular activity along with changes in
blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and GSR.
In 1947, Reid introduced a completely revised Polygraph technique, the most significant feature of which was
the utilization of a “control question”. It is the basic response indicator that is the core of what has become known as
the “Reid Control Question technique”.

Sample Control Question by REID

Assume that the subject to be tested is Peter Paul, and he is suspected of the murder last Saturday night of Jon
Lapuz during the course of an armed robbery in which Lapuz valuable watch was taken from him. It is further assumed
that Paul knows the identity of the victim as Jon Lapuz.

1. Irrelevant - Do they call you Peter?

2. Irrelevant - Are you over 21 years of age?
3. Relevant - Last Saturday night did you shoot Jondy?
4. Irrelevant - Are you in Davao now?
5. Relevant - Did you kill Jondy Lapuz?
6. Control Question - Besides what you told about, did you ever steal anything else?
7. Irrelevant - Did you ever go to school?
8. Relevant - Did you steal Jondy Lapuz watch last Saturday night?
9. Relevant - Do you know who shot Jondy Lapuz?
10. Control Question - Did you ever steal anything from a place where you worked?
Control Question – is one which is broad in scope and depth regarding wrondoing of the same general nature as the one
under investigation, and one to which the subject, in all probability, will lie, or to which his answer may be of dovious
validity in his own.
The full Reid technique includes the following: the preparation and reading to the subject the questions which
he will be asked during a test; the verbal stimulation of subjects who are under responsive; stabilizing methods for
subjects who are overresponsive; a test restricted to only irrelevant questions, which serves to identify the overly
nervous, apprehensive responder; special test for so-called spot responders.

Limitations on scope of relevant questions

The forerunner of the technique which will be described throughout this text, and one that is still sometimes
used alone, is the relevant-irrelevant question test. It contains some questions pertaining to the issue under
investigation (relevant question) and other questions that are irrelevant but chosen because the answers are known to
be truthful, such as the subject’s name, age, and residence. All of the questions must be answered by yes or no.
 The responses to the relevent and irrelevant questions are then compared and if the subject responds more to
the relevant (issue) questions than to the irrelevant (known truthful) questions, the subject is considered as not telling
the truth, but if there are no significant responses to either the relevant or irrelevant questions, the subject is reported
as thruthful. The relevant test questions used in any examination should be confined to a single case investigation.
The primary purpose of the irrelevant questions is to ascertain the subject’s normal reactions – his “norm” –
under test conditions. Additional reasons for using irrelevant questions are: 1) to terminate a lingering type of reaction
that may appear on either the relevant or control questions; 2) to terminate shock reactions; 3) to provide an outlet for
a relief response after relevant questions; 4) to separate the reactions to pertinent questions by using an irrelevant
question in between; 5) to accentuate a deception response to a relevant question by the subject failure to answer or by
giving a delayed answer to the following relevant question.

Sample Questions

1. Irrelevant - Do they call you Peter?

2. Irrelevant - Are you over 21 years of age?
3. Relevant - Last Saturday night did you shoot Jondy?
4. Irrelevant - Are you in Davao now?
5. Relevant - Did you kill Jondy Lapuz?
6. Control Question - Besides what you told about, did you ever steal anything else?
7. Irrelevant - Did you ever go to school?
8. Relevant - Did you steal Jondy Lapuz watch last Saturday night?
9. Relevant - Do you know who shot Jondy Lapuz?
10.Control Question - Did you ever steal anything from a place where you worked?
Each one of the irrelevant questions 1, 2, 4, and 7 should deal with a known fact and not with a
situation based upon a probability which the examiner only examiner only assumes to be true. These
recommendations are based upon experiences which demonstrate that some subjects attempt to test
the efficacy of the test by deliberately lying an irrelevant questions calling for answers not definitely
known by the examiner. If they are not called to task about such a lie which may well be so, since the
irrelevant questions are only used for limited purpose of establishing a “Norm”, the examiner will
encounter some difficulty with the fact of his lying regarding the crime itself.

Test Procedure

As soon as the subject enters the examination room he should be instructed to sit in the examination chair, after
which the examiner proceeds to attach the pneumograph tubes, blood pressure cuff, and other pieces of equipment. At
this point, if the subject makes some comment suggestivve of a forthcoming admission, the examiner should continue,
nevertheless, to complete the instrument attachments, and then sit down in the chair in front of the subject and listen
to what he has to say.

No test should ever be conducted without a pretest interview, during which the subject is conditioned for the
test, and the questions to be asked have been carefully formulated by the examiner. Pre-test interview also involves the
casual asking of a series of questions which are predesigned to elicit verbal and non-verbal responses that will give the
examiner an indication of the subjects truthful or deceptivestatus without unnecessary releasing his tension or engaging
in any accusatory interrogation.
Common Deception Response

1. Respiratory Blocks – a block or stoppage in respiration, occuring immediately after a subject’s answer to a test
question and lasting for several seconds 15 to 20 sec, is a very reliable symptoms may appear at the form of
suppression may appear at the end of the exhalation stage of the respiratory cycle or at the end of the
inhalation stage.

2. Staircase Suppression – a suppression of respiration that assumes the appearance of a staircase or upgrade set
of steps, and which begins immediately after a test question has been answered, is another very reliable
criterion of deception. It may occur in several forms, as shown above and as indicated by arrows.
3. Respiratory Baseline Rise – a rise in the respiration baseline at the time a test question is asked, is another very
reliable symptom of deception, the rise usually last for 15 or 20 sec, after which the baseline ordinarily returns
to its normal level.

4. Ordinary Suppression – equally as significant as the foregoing responses is a form of suppression in

respirationthat cannot be categorized except as ordinary. It does not possess any very distinctive characteristic
such as a block, a staircase, or a rise in baseline, but it nevertheless constitute a reliable criterion of deception.

5. Respiration Cycle Change – (slower, faster, or heavier breathing). A change in a respiratory cycle, after asking of
a relevant question, is another dependable criterion of deception. A widening of the cycles is indicative of slower
breathing during the relevant question interval, its either slow sliding expiration tracing or frequent because of
faster breathing, or the longer cycles are indicative of heavier breathing during the relevant question interval.

6. Post-Deception Response – heavier breathing (sigh of relief), after a crucial question or even at the end of the
test itself and without being preceded by any obvious suppression, is another reliable criterion of deception.

7. Erratic Specific Response – deception may be reflected by various form of erratic breathing during the relevant
test question interval. Contrary to what is sometimes assumed, erratic breathing of the types shown here is not
due, ordinarily, to deliberate efforts on the part of the subject; it apparently results solely from his own natural
disturbance over the fact of lying.

8. Pseudodeception Anticipatory Response in respiration – the illustrated specific responses in respiration assume
significance only when they appear, and continue, after the answering of a question, or at most not any earlier
than a one cycle interval before the question is answered. If the response occurs prior thereto, it ordinarily not
indicative of deception and maybe considered a pseudodeception anticipatory response.

9. Generally Erratic Respiration – there are instances where deception is reflected in the respiration by only a
generally erratic pattern rather than in the form of specific changes as previously illustrated. Such generally
erratic patterns may result from excessively slow or excessively fast breathing. When in this form they are
usually the result of a deliberate effort on the part of the subject to mislead the examiner.