A polygraph can be a useful tool that can be used as part of a larger investigation to get answers. However, businesses interested in using the test need to follow the law to the letter to avoid legal action.

Polygraph tests have caused a lot of controversy and have generated many myths over the years. In November 2006, A Jacksonville, Florida firefighter fought the results of a polygraph test that he says was inaccurate. The man took the test as part of an internal investigation into an incident which allegedly involved nooses being placed on his uniform. The polygraph results suggested deception, but the firefighter has always consistently claimed that he found nooses on his uniform – an act that can be seen as a hate crime or a form of harassment. Administrators of the test are defending the polygraph as a reliable tool but the firefighter and his attorney are pointing out the many documented studies that suggest the test is highly fallible.

A polygraph is sometimes called the “lie detector test” but this is a misnomer. The test is really nothing more than a way of measuring the body’s responses when questions are asked. Polygraph examiners compare physical responses to questions to see how a subject reacts to questions for which the answer is known (such as “what is your name?”) and to questions for which the answer is unclear (such as “where were you on the night of September 30?”). By comparing the two, proponents of the polygraph claim that deception can easily be uncovered, since people react physically when they lie.

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Polygraph testing is used by many companies. Understanding where and when to use polygraphs is a must for any business looking for answers.

People lie all the time, and as law enforcement officials have known for a long time, when people lie, they often show it in some way. When being dishonest, some people avoid eye contact, others fidget, and others break into a sweat. Polygraph tests take this basic concept and create a measurable way of recording people’s reactions to questions. A polygraph tests respiration, blood pressure, heart rate, and skin conductivity while the subject is being asked specific questions. By comparing the body’s response to specific questions, polygraph examiners can verify the truthfulness of what a subject is saying.

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