Comprehensive Glossary

Cautionary Note

Polygraph and related credibility-assessment methods are best understood as structured procedures for recording and interpreting physiological, behavioural, cognitive, or technological indicators under defined conditions. The polygraph does not literally detect lies. Its conclusions depend on examinee suitability, question design, examiner competence, instrumentation, scoring rules, quality control, base rates, and the consequences of false-positive and false-negative errors.