Comparison of Psychophysiological Detection of Deception Accuracy Rates ObtainedUsing the Counterintelligence Scope Polygraph and the Test for Espionage and Sabotage Question Formats

摘要

The purpose of this study was to compare the decision accuracy rates obtainedusing a new psychophysiological detection of deception test, the Test for Espionage and Sabotage (TES), to those obtained using two versions of the counterintelligence scope polygraph (CSP) format; the CSP format using probable lie control (PLC) questions (CSP-PLC), and the CSP format using directed lie control (DLC) questions (CSP-DLC). The TES format differs from the CSP formats in that: the number of issues being tested in a question series is reduced; a maximum of three question repetitions are used to calculate question scores; between-test stimulation is eliminated; the order of questions within the question sequence cannot be altered; each relevant question is compared to the same control questions; the pretest is brief, more standardized, and follows a logical sequence of information presentation; and problems associated with PLC questions are reduced by using DLC questions. The 277 examinees included in the analyses were recruited from the communities surrounding Ft. McClellan, AL. Ninety of the examinees programmed guilty (PG) by enacting one of four possible mock espionage scenarios. Eighteen certified government examiners conducted the examinations. Excluding inconclusive decisions, the decisions of the examiners who administered the TES format were significantly more accurate (83.3%) at identifying the deceptive examinees than were the decisions of the examiners who administered either the CSP-PLC (55.6%) or the CSP-DLC (58.6%) format. There were no significant differences among the accuracies of the examiners' decisions at identifying the nondeceptive examinees.