AFM 2025 Deception Detection and Polygraph Basics

The Autonomic Nervous System

The External Observable Signs and Symptoms of Lies/Deceptions

• Stammering.

• Swearing to GOD or before GOD that he did not commit the offense.

• Pointing his guilt to somebody else.

• Refuses to answer questions through alibis and excuses.

• All the time absent-minded.

• Always requesting for repetitions of questions.

• Often asks counter-questions and counter queries.

• Often asks permission to go to comfort rooms, etc.

The Non-Verbal Behavioral Assessment

• The observation of the subject’s behavioral responses is linked with his verbal utterances.

AREAS TO OBSERVE

• TRUTHFUL vs DECEPTIVE

  • General Posture

  • Truthful: Lean slightly forward, the body is aligned.

  • Deceptive: Defensive position, lean back.

  • Head and Face

  • Truthful: Appropriate expression/head positioning.

  • Deceptive: Inappropriate expression/head positioning.

  • Eyes

  • Truthful: Maintains normal eye contact.

  • Deceptive: Breaks in eye contact.

  • Arms and Hands

  • Truthful: Arms crossed, touch his chest as he talks.

  • Deceptive: Arms across the chest; point away when talks.

  • Sense Arousal Gestures

  • Truthful: No signs of stress-responsive behavior.

  • Deceptive: With signs of stress-responsive behavior.

  • Feet and Legs

  • Truthful: Open and Settled Feet and Legs.

  • Deceptive: Crisscrossing of Feet when sitting.

Methods of Detecting Deception

Early Methods of Detecting Lies

1. Red Hot Iron Ordeal – the accused placed his tongue on a red-hot iron $9$ times unless burned sooner; not only licking but made to carry the metal into his hands.

2. Ordeal by the Balance – the scale of balance is used where the accused is placed on the other end while a counterbalance is made. If found lighter before, he will be acquitted.

3. Boiling Water Ordeal – the subject will plunge their right arm into the boiling water without murmur; the one who showed blisters would prove the thief and point out who stole.

4. Ordeal by Rice Chewing – the person on trial eats the sathee and then spits upon an eyeful leaf. If the saliva is mixed with blood or the mouth swells or s/he trembles, s/he is declared then a liar.

5. Ordeal of the Red Water – the accused will fast for $12 ext{ hours}$, then swallow a small amount of rice until he is imbibed in dark-colored water and emetic; if all the rice is ejected s/he is innocent.

6. Combination of Drinks and Food Ordeal – the accused fasted for $12 ext{ hours}$ and ate a small amount of rice; drank a large, black-colored water. If the concoction was vomited, s/he is innocent.

7. Trial by Combat – a fight between the accuser and the accused, whoever loses will be guilty.

8. Trial by Torture – if the accused can endure severe physical tests, he will be considered innocent.

9. Drinking Ordeal – the accused was given a decoction to drink by a priest if innocent no harm befalls.

10. Trial of the Eucharist – reserved for the clergy & administered with pomp & ceremony. Angel Gabriel will descend from heaven and prevent the accused from swallowing the food given if found guilty.

11. Ordeal by Heat and Fire – the accused was compelled to walk barefooted through a fire.

12. Ordeal of Boiling Oil or Water – the accused was forced to dip hands and asks to pick-up stones.

13. Ordeal of Red-Hot Needle – drawn to the lips of accused, if innocent, no blood will be seen.

14. Ordeal of the Tiger – accused and accuser were placed together in a cage with a tiger.

15. Test of the Cross Ordeal – accused and accuser were made to stand with arms crossed.

16. Donkey’s Tail Ordeal – a donkey was placed in one room alone and was observed.

Countries That Practiced Ordeal

1. Burma – accuser and accused were given each identical candle; both were lightened at the same time.

2. Borneo – accuser and accused were given shellfish placed on a plate; an irritating fluid will be poured.

3. Greece – a suspended axe was spun at the center of group of suspects.

4. Nigeria – the priest greased a feather and pierced the tongue of the accused, innocent if passed.

5. Europe and Early US (17th Century) – accused was bound (hand and foot) and then cast into the body of water. If the accused sank, he was innocent; if floated, s/he will be burned to death.

Forerunners of Scientific Methods of Detecting Deception

1. Hypnotism – Therapeutic Effects produced were attributed to the state of subject’s mind whereby s/he is set-up and thereby instructed to sit quietly and gazed at flashing light or shiny object.

2. The Word Association Test – Subject was given a list of carefully selected stimulus word/objects with other pictures combined & other irrelevant words, with the instruction to respond with first word.

3. The Truth Serum Method – Byosine Hydrobromide is usually administered hypodermically to the subject in repeated doses until a state of delirium is induced; Truthful Answers must be given.

4. Narco-Analysis or Narco-Synthesis – Sodium Amythal or Penthotal is administered to the subject. When the effects appear, questions start.

5. Intoxication – Drinking alcoholic beverages as stimuli to obtain truth on the part of the subject.

Methods of Deception Through Regular Police Works

• The Police methods sought to answer the legal investigative process, by the $5W’s and 1H$ Technique. Questions are used to gain the $3I$’s of Investigation:

  • Information Gathering

  • Investigation

  • Instrumentation

Scientifically Accepted Methods of Detecting Deception

• Dr. Hans Gross, also known as the “Father of Criminalistics,” defined search for truth as the basis and goal of all criminal investigations; he contributed much in the development of the polygraph instrument.

Psychological Stress Evaluator

• The instrument detects lying by measuring the level of stress experienced by the subject through his/her recorded voice either in computer or cellphone; records reactions to a given situation.