Lie Detector Test

[James R]

Why can't the results of a lie detector test be used in court?

Because they are unreliable.

then why would they ask anyone to take one and why would anyone agree to do so? Its not scientifically accurate and its results could weigh against you in public opinion

If those lie detector tests are so unreliable why does Brinks not hire you unless you take one? My friend refused and they through his application out.

Lots of people think lie detectors are accurate, including some companies and agencies that use them in recruitment. That doesn't change the facts.

 

[Nasor]

Lots of people think lie detectors are accurate, including some companies and agencies that use them in recruitment. That doesn't change the facts.

I suspect that most agencies and companies know that they don't work very well, but figure they are probably still useful for intimidating a certain percentage of people into telling the truth.

 

[billvon]

And how do you help explain shows like Mury using lie detectors to determine a cheating "person"? They ruin a life if its wrong.

You mean Maury? He's an entertainer; he sells entertainment, not accuracy.

 

[LaurieAG]

@ LaurieAG,

What if a person dreams they were molested by their parents growing up? Could a dream memory be detected in a test that has you remembering memories?

Hi kwhilborn,

The discontinuation of the polygraph was valid as the test can be passed by consummate liars (false negatives) or can be masked by medical conditions (false positives).

If you really 'believe' something to that extent then you would most likely pass a polygraph, just as if you were a very good liar, so that's another good reason for discontinuation.

 

[LaurieAG]

Do you get sad when someone on Judge Judy has to pay $2000 to the Plaintiff. Well don't because they get at least $4000 just for being there, so even the losing party always wins.

kwhilborn, the show says something like 'all the cases are real and all the sentences are real' they do not actually say that they are not reenactments of real cases with real sentences that were originally tried and sentenced in another court.

 

[youreyes]

kwhilborn, the show says something like 'all the cases are real and all the sentences are real' they do not actually say that they are not reenactments of real cases with real sentences that were originally tried and sentenced in another court.

Exactly, everything is fake...all of it, even my sentence, not that my own assessment of it has made it any better.

 

[LaurieAG]

Exactly, everything is fake...all of it, even my sentence, not that my own assessment of it has made it any better.

Misleading and dissembling is the 22nd out of 28 different types of lies identified in the wiki.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lie

Misleading and dissembling
Main article: Misleading
A misleading statement is one where there is no outright lie, but still retains the purpose of getting someone to believe in an untruth. "Dissembling" likewise describes the presentation of facts in a way that is literally true, but intentionally misleading.

 

[keems]

Hmm get really fit so your heart rate will go down. Or the greatest way to counter a lie detector test would be, is to simply demonstrate saying "I'm not saying anything" while your pulse is elevated (your scared). Then the results are deemed unreliable.