Polygraph vs Microexpressions
Can microexpressions be used to detect lies more accurately than the leading commercial lie detector – a polygraph?
Aldrich Hazen Ames, a 31-year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on espionage charges, on February 24, 1994. Ames had been spying for the Russians since 1985, selling classified information about CIA and the United States Intelligence (FBI Case Files). According to a letter from Ames to the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), Ames beat the polygraph examination, not once - but twice, while he was spying for the Russians (“A letter from Aldrich Ames”). In his letter, Ames further goes on to call the polygraph, a “Pseudoscience” and claims that reliance on polygraph for lie detection has “gotten us into a lot of trouble”. Polygraph is the leading commercial ‘lie detector’ in the market. It is being used extensively throughout the world. According to North Central State College Psychology glossary, a polygraph can be defined as, “An electronic device (often called a lie detector) that senses and records changes in several physiological indices including blood pressure, heart rate, respiration, and galvanic skin response.” And since the invention of polygraph by Leonarde Keeler in 1921 (Polygraph Museum), there have been many such cases where criminals have successfully managed to fool a polygraph. Moreover, further research reveals that an equal number of cases can be found where innocents have been convicted due to inaccurate polygraph results. Evidently, the world needs a better lie detection system, which can put an end to such unfortunate cases. Latest research by some of the world’s leading psychologists suggests that ‘microexpressions’ can be used to detect lies to a higher level of accuracy. Dr. Paul Ekman Ph.D., an expert in clinical psychology and is considered one of the 100 most eminent psychologists of 20th century, has done some of the most extensive research
Aldrich Hazen Ames, a 31-year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on espionage charges, on February 24, 1994. Ames had been spying for the Russians since 1985, selling classified information about CIA and the United States Intelligence (FBI Case Files). According to a letter from Ames to the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), Ames beat the polygraph examination, not once - but twice, while he was spying for the Russians (“A letter from Aldrich Ames”). In his letter, Ames further goes on to call the polygraph, a “Pseudoscience” and claims that reliance on polygraph for lie detection has “gotten us into a lot of trouble”. Polygraph is the leading commercial ‘lie detector’ in the market. It is being used extensively throughout the world. According to North Central State College Psychology glossary, a polygraph can be defined as, “An electronic device (often called a lie detector) that senses and records changes in several physiological indices including blood pressure, heart rate, respiration, and galvanic skin response.” And since the invention of polygraph by Leonarde Keeler in 1921 (Polygraph Museum), there have been many such cases where criminals have successfully managed to fool a polygraph. Moreover, further research reveals that an equal number of cases can be found where innocents have been convicted due to inaccurate polygraph results. Evidently, the world needs a better lie detection system, which can put an end to such unfortunate cases. Latest research by some of the world’s leading psychologists suggests that ‘microexpressions’ can be used to detect lies to a higher level of accuracy. Dr. Paul Ekman Ph.D., an expert in clinical psychology and is considered one of the 100 most eminent psychologists of 20th century, has done some of the most extensive research