Current Projects

Study to Review the Scientific Evidence on the Polygraph

The Committee on National Statistics and the Board on Behavioral, Cognitive, and Sensory Sciences under the National Research Council’s Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences, propose to convene a panel of experts to review the scientific literature on polygraph tests, including what is known about the effect of medications, sleep deprivation, and illnesses on the physiological responses measured, and assess its use for personnel security screening. Polygraph tests are used by a number of federal agencies to help determine employment qualifications. The test involves measuring the physiological responses of an individual while he or she is asked both general and specific questions. The variability in the test results has made them generally inadmissible in a court of law.

The panel would review other techniques that may be adapted to similar purposes in order to provide a comparative evaluation of the polygraph and to suggest directions for future research. The panel, however, would not provide an independent assessment of these other techniques. A 21-month study is planned.