Examinee Assessment of Distress Caused by Polygraph Examination

Abstract

Scientifi c papers on polygraph examination seldom point to the issue of examinee distress. Lawyers on the other hand are known to level charges against admissibility of such expert opinions and claim that a polygraph examination is too uncomfortable for the examinee. Widacki (2001: 128–129) criticised beliefs of Polish lawyers concerning the potential infl uence of examinee anxiety on the outcome of a polygraph examination, as such beliefs are not based on results of empirical research. A professional polygrapher should distinguish nervousness from other reactions. Standards of polygraph examination techniques (with procedures for curve interpretation) include safety barriers that let the examiner minimise the risk of making a mistake caused by examinee stress. One of them is the zone of inconclusiveness (Kircher, Raskin: 309–310; Gołaszewski: 230–239).