LESSON 1

LIE DETECTION TECHNIQUES

Important Terms

POLYGRAPHY – it is the scientific method of detecting deception, using a polygraph machine.

FEAR – is emotional response to specific danger that appears to beyond a persons defensive power.

STIMULUS – is a force or motion reaching the organism and excites the receptors.

REACTION – it is an action in mental attitude evokes by external influence.

DECEPTION – is an act of deceiving or misleading usually accompanied by lying.

DETECTION – It is an act of discovery of existence, presence of fact or something hidden or obscure.

LYING – the uttering or conveying of falsehood or creating a false or misleading information with the
intention of affecting wrongfully the acts and opinion of other.

RESPONSE – is any activity or inhibition of the previous activity of an organism resulting from
stimulation.

SPECIFIC RESPONSE – is any deviation from the normal tracing of the subject.

NORMAL TRACING – is a tracing on the chart wherein the subject answered in the irrelevant question.

POLYGRAPH EXAMINER – is one who conducts and administer the test.

CHART OR POLYGRAMS – refers to the composite records of pneumograph, Galvanograph and

SUBJECT – refers to the person being examined.

POLYGRAPH – is a merely instrument used to record physiological changes of the human body.

What is the significance of understanding Lie Detection?

In every criminal investigation, the truth must be established to ensure proper prosecution of offenders.
Criminal investigators must exert all effort to determine lying not only on the part of the suspect but as
well as to everyone involved in the criminal act – witnesses, victims, etc.

In establishing the truth, criminal investigators apply various methods such as: observation; mechanical
lie detection; use of drugs that inhibits the “inhibitor”; hypnosis; and interrogation.

What is Lie? Any untruthful statement; Falsehood; Anything that

deceives or creates false impression; to make untrue statements knowingly, especially with intent to
deceive; To give an erroneous or misleading impression; Lie is also synonymous to Deceit; deception;
fabrication; falsehood; and untruth.

What is the meaning of Detection? The act of detecting,

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discovery, perceiving, finding, or uncovering something obscure

What are the Kinds of Lie?

1. White Lie or Benign Lie - the kind of lies used to protect or maintain the harmony of
friendship or any relationship.

2. Pathological Lie - this is a lie made by persons who cannot distinguish right from wrong.

3. Red Lie - this involves political interests and motives because this is a part of communist
propaganda strategy. This is prevalent in communist countries or communist infested nation.
Lies of means of propaganda-brain-washing and blackmail via espionage and treason.

4. Black Lie - a lie accompanies pretensions and hypocrisies, intriguing to cause dishonor or
discredit ones good image.

5. Malicious or Judicial Lie - this is very pure and unjustifiable kind of lie that is intended
purely to mislead or obstruct justice.

What are the Types of Liars?

1. Panic Liars - one who lies in order to avoid the consequences of a confession, He/She is
afraid of embarrassment to love ones and it is a serious blow to his / her ego, He/She
believes that confession will just make the matter worst.

2. Occupational Liars - Is someone laid for spare years, this person is a practical liar and lies
when it has a higher “pay off” than telling the truth.

3. Tournament Liars - Loves to lie and is excited by the challenge of not being detected,
this person views an interview as another contest and wants to win, this person realizes that
he or she will probably be convicted bur will not give anyone the satisfaction of hearing him
or her confesses, he wants that people will believe that the law is punishing an innocent
person.

4. Psychopathic Liars - the most difficult type, this person has no conscience. He shows no
regret for dishonestly and no manifestation of guilt,

5. Ethnological Liars - is one who is taught not to be a squealer, *squealer – to cry or to

6. Pathological Liars - A person who cannot distinguish right from wrong (his mind is sick.),
is an insane person.

7. Black Liars - A person who always pretends, (What he thinks of himself, what kind of
person he is, and what he is.)

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CONCEPT OF DETECTING LIES

What is the theory of lie detection?

It must be recognized that there is no such thing as an instrument that will detect lies. The popular
name, Lie Detector, given to a collection of certain medical instruments, is somewhat misleading. No
collection of inanimate objects including the very finest and complicated modern computers, can detect
lies on the part of any human being. The students can understandably ask, “Well, what does this do
called “lie detector” do?” The answer to that question is that the lie detector records certain
physiological activities of the body. These activities are constantly in operation as long as the person is
alive. The student should be aware that the most common lie detectors record a breathing pattern of
inspiration and expiration, a continuous pattern of relative blood pressure and pulse rate, and a pattern
of electro dermal activity.

It is well known that the body adapts itself as efficiently as possible to its environment. If the
environment changes, the body will rapidly adjust itself to these changes. This is done by a complicated
system of internal checks and balance primarily involving the autonomic nervous system. This ability to
adjust is necessary if the organism if the organism or body is to survive in a constantly changing world.
Those organisms that cannot adjust rapidly die out Historically, early human beings have their own way
of determining lying or guilt on the part of the accused and accuser. Their common method is thru the
application of “ORDEAL.”

USE OF DRUGS THAT “INHIBIT THE INHIBITOR” ADMINISTRATION OF TRUTH SERUM

The term “truth serum” is a misnomer. The procedure does not

make someone tell the truth and the thing administered is not a serum but is actually a drug.

In the test, byosine hydro bromide is given hypodermically in

repeated doses until a state of delirium is induced. When the proper point is reached, the questions
truthfully. He forgets his acts or may even implicate others.

NARCOANALYSIS OR NARCOSYNTHESIS

This method of deception detection is practically the same as that of administration of truth
serum. The only difference is the drug used. Psychiatric sodium amytal o sodium pentothal is
administered to the subject. When the effects appear, questioning starts. It is claimed that the drug
causes depression of the inhibitory mechanism of the brain and the subject talks freely.

The administration of the drug and subsequent interrogation must be done by a psychiatrist with a long
experience on the line. Like the administration of truth serum, the result of the test is not admissible in
court.

INTOXICATION WITH ALCOHOL

The apparent stimulation effect of alcohol is really the result of the

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control mechanism of the brain, so alcohol, like truth serum, and narcoanalytic drugs “inhibit the
inhibitor”.

The ability of alcohol to reveal the real person behind the mad

which all of us are said to wear (“mask of sanity”) is reflected in the age-old maxim, “In vino veritas” (“In
wine there is truth”). (Pathology of Homicide by

Lester Adel son, Charles Thomas, 1974, p. 895)

HYPNOSIS

It is the alternation of consciousness and concentration in which the subject manifests a heightened of
suggestibility while awareness is maintained. Not all persons are susceptible to hypnotic induction. The
hypnotic state is characterized by:

a. That it is a comfortable state or complete relaxation in which the subject will

b. That it is not actually a sleep.

c. That the subject will do whatever he is told to do.

d. That the hypnotizer will not order him to do anything injurious.

e. After the test, the subject will wake up with feeling of comfort and refreshment.

The result of this method is not acceptable in court due to the following reasons:

a. It lacks the general scientific acceptance of the reliability of hypnosis per in

b. The fear that the truer of fact will give uncritical and absolute reliability to a
scientific device without consideration of its flaw in ascertaining veracity.

c. The possibility that the hypnotized subject will deliberately fabricate.

d. The prospect that the state of heightened suggestibility in which the hypnotized
subject is suspended will produce distortion of the fact rather than the truth.

e. The state of the mind and professionalism of the examiner are too subjective to
permit admissibility of the expert testimony.

What is Ordeal?

A severe test of character or endurance; a trying course of experience, A medieval form of judicial trial in
which the accused was subjected to physical tests, as carrying or walking over burning objects or
immersing the hand in scalding water, the result being considered a divine judgment of guilt or
innocence.

It is also a term of varying meaning closely related in the Medieval Latin “Dei Indicum” meaning
“Miraculous decision.” Ordeal is also an ancient method of trial in which the accused was exposed to
physical danger which was supposed to be harmless if he was innocent.

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What are the Early Methods of Detecting Lies?

1. Red hot iron ordeal - Practiced on the hill tribe of Rajhmal in the North Bengal; Accused
placed his tongue to a red hot iron nine times (9) unless burned sooner; If burned, he is put to
death. Not only that (licking the iron), he is also made to carry the metal into his hands. It is
doubtful whether the ordeal is meant to determine the physiological changes occurring in
description for if this so, many false observations must have been made.

2. Ordeal by balance - Practiced in the Institute of Vishnu, India; Scale of balanced is used;
In one end of the scale, the accused is placed in the other end, a counter balance; The person
will step out of the scale listened to a judge deliver an extortion is the balance and her back in. If
he were found to be lighter than before then he should be acquitted.

3. Boiling water ordeal - Used in Africa; the method was that the subject will plunged their
right arms into the boiling pot to the elbow and step into the other side of the fire. All are told
to undergo the test without a murmur. And when all are finished, they are told to return at the
same time the next afternoon. The one who by that time had lost some or showed blisters would
prove the thief (Point out who is the one who steal among his tribe mates).

4. Ordeal by rice chewing - Practiced by Indians; It is formed with a kind of rice called
sathee, prepared with various incantations; The person on trial eats, with his face to the and
then spits upon an eyeful leaf; If the saliva is mixed with blood or the corner of his mouth swell
or he trembles, he is declared then a liar.

5. Ordeal of the red water - Used in a wide region of Eastern Africa; The ordeal of the
“sassy bark” or red water is used; The accused is made to fast for twelve hours; The swallow a
small amount of rice; Then he will be imbibed in dark colored water. This water is actually an
emetic and if the suspects eject all the rice, he is considered innocent of the charge; otherwise,
the accused is guilty.

6. Combination of Drinks and Food Ordeal -The accused first fasted for 12 hours and the
given small amount of rice to ear followed by large amount of black colored water. If the
concoction was vomited, the accused was pronounced innocent; Otherwise, guilty. And
practiced by “West African Regions”.

7. Trial by Combat - A fight between the accuser and the accused, whoever lost the battle
will be the adjudged guilty. Originated from India and one of the examples of this: a rich man or
accuser could hire somebody or bigger one to fight the accused. After the fight the loser is
adjudged guilty of crime.

8. Trial by Torture - The accused was put into a severe physical test.

9. Drinking Ordeal - The accused was given a decoction to drink by a priest – if innocent;
no harm befalls him, but if guilty, will die. Practiced in Nigeria and India.

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 10. Trial of the Eucharist - This trial is reserved for the clergy, and administered with pomp
and ceremony. If the accused was guilty, the Angel Gabriel will descend from heaven and prevent
the accused from swallowing the food given to him. Practiced in the European countries.

11. Ordeal by heat and fire - The accused was compelled to walk bare footed through a fire;
if he remains unhurt then he is innocent. Practiced in East Germany, Early Scandinavian
Countries and early England.

12. Ordeal of Boiling Oil or Water - The accused was forced to dip his hands into the boiling
water or oil and ask to pick up stone in it. If he remains unhurt then he is innocent. Practiced in
Asian Countries.

13. Ordeal of Red hot Needle - Red hot needle was drawn through the lips of the accused, if
innocent; no blood will be seen flowing out. Practiced in Wanaka, East Africa.

14. Ordeal of the Tiger - Accuser and accused were placed together in the same and a tiger
set loose upon them. If both were spared, further elimination followed. Practical in Siam.

15. Ordeal by Combat - Accuser and accused report to a duel where the winner was
adjudged innocent. Those not proficient in weapons and those who could not afford to do so
could hire champions in the field to do the fighting for them. This type of ordeal is vividly
dramatized in the movie “Ivanhoe” based on the novel of the same title (became the only legal
ordeal). Practiced in England, time of “King Henry III”.

16. Test of the Cross ordeal - The accuser and accused each were made to stand with arms
crossed on their breasts. The one who endured the longest was deemed to have told the truth,
the other, is the liar. Practiced in Europe.

17. Donkey’s Tail Ordeal - Psychological theory, the donkey placed in one room alone and
observed it, and if the donkey cried is a judged of guilty of crimes, because deep inside and
conscience he is guilty.

In ancient times, the judicial system was especially harsh. Back then, they did not use
facts and evidence to prove the innocence of the accused the way we do today. Instead, they used the
method of trial by ordeal in which the accused had to do something life-threatening. If the person
survived, then his innocence was proven. Here are some of the most bizarre trials by ordeal throughout
history.

1. Ordeal By The Host

If a priest was accused of a crime during medieval times, he could prove his innocence by going up to the
altar and praying out loud that God would choke him. He would then take a piece of the host, also
known as altar bread, and swallow it. If he could do it without any signs of discomfort or difficulty, he
was believed to be innocent.

However, if he were to choke on the host, it would prove that he was guilty. This method might not be as
ineffective and dumb as previously thought because there might be a psychosomatic component that
caused a guilt-ridden priest to choke.

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 2. Ordeal By Fire

This type of trial was mostly used for women accused of adultery. The accused was required to walk nine
paces in bare feet on nine red-hot plowshares or to walk nine paces while holding red-hot iron. In
extreme cases, innocence was proven when the accused was not harmed in the slightest.

However, more commonly, the accused would be bandaged for three days before being checked by a
priest. If she was innocent, the injury would be healed due to divine intervention. If not, then the wound
would fester. Those deemed guilty would be exiled or stoned to death.

3. Ordeal By Cold Water

In this version of the ordeal, the accused would be bound hand and foot by a length of rope and thrown
into a body of water which was thought to be pure and able to reject any evil. He was usually thrown
into a pit that had been dug out and filled with water that had been blessed by a priest. If the accused
floated to the surface, that meant the water had rejected him and he was guilty. If he was innocent, he
would sink because the water had accepted him. This method became very popular in witch trials.

Another version of this ordeal involved binding the feet and hands of the accused and lowering him into
the water with a rope tied around his middle. There was also a knot on the rope. If both the body and
the knot sank, then the accused was innocent. If both floated to the surfaced, then he was guilty.

4. Trial By Ordeal Bean

In some West African tribes, to identify whether a woman was a witch or possessed by an evil spirit, they
would have her swallow a calabar bean (aka an ordeal bean), which is an extremely poisonous seed.
They believed that God would perform a miracle and allow the accused to live by vomiting up the seed if
she was innocent.

However, she would be presumed guilty if she ingested the calabar bean. This would also likely kill her
because the ordeal bean releases chemicals that disrupt the communications between the muscular and
nervous systems. She would die due to asphyxiation when the diaphragm failed to respond.

5. Ordeal By Diving

Trial by this ordeal was most commonly used in countries in Southeast Asia as well as India to settle
disputes over cockfights, which were widely popular in the area. Two poles were secured at the bottom
of a clear pond. The two parties involved would send representatives to dive into the pond and grasp the
poles. Whoever could stay underwater the longest was considered the honest party with truth on his
side. He would win whatever was at stake, usually money.

6. Ordeal By Cross

Trial by this ordeal was created to replace ordeal by combat. In this method, both the accuser and the
accused would come together in church and stand before the cross. They would hold out their arms in
the form of a cross for as long as possible. The party who lowered his arms first was defeated. The other
party won the trial.

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 7. Ordeal By Snake

This type of trial by ordeal was usually used when the defendant was accused of making a false
accusation about another person or lying to get another person punished. The crime was equivalent to
perjury. During the trial, a cobra was placed inside a clay pot along with a ring. The accused would try to
retrieve the ring from beneath the snake without getting bitten. If he was able to do so, he was declared
innocent.

8. Ordeal By Bitter Water

If a woman was suspected of adultery, she would go through this ordeal to prove her innocence. The
process is described in the book of Numbers in the Bible. The husband would bring his wife to the priest,
who would begin the ritual by offering ground barley at the altar. He would then unbind the woman’s
hair and make her swear an oath written on a scroll that she had not engaged in sexual relations with
anyone other than her husband. The priest would then wash the scroll in a cup of water and mix dirt in
it. The woman would drink this mixture, which was called the bitter, curse-causing water. If she was
guilty, she would become infertile as the mixture was supposed to harm her reproductive organs.
However, if she remained fertile, then her innocence was proven.

9. Ordeal By Turf

In this form of trial, the defendant could prove his innocence by passing under a strip of turf that had
been raised to form an arch with each end resting on the ground. If the turf fell on the head of the
accused while he passed under it, he would be presumed guilty. If he could pass easily without anything
happening to him, his innocence was proven.

10. Ordeal By Blood

During this trial, the corpse of the victim was placed on top of a small platform. Then each of the
suspected murderers would touch the body. It was believed that when the true murderer touched the
body of his victim, the wound would start bleeding fresh blood. If the wound did not bleed when
touched, that suspect would be declared innocent.

What are the Common Countries that Practiced Ordeal?

1. Burma - The accuser and accused were given each identical candle and both were
lightened at the same time.

2. Borneo - The accuser and accused were presented by shell fish placed on a plate. An
irritating fluid was then poured on the shell fish and the litigant whose shell fish moved first was
adjudged the winner.

3. Greece - A suspended axe was spun at the center of a group of suspects. When the axe
stopped, whoever was in line with the blade as supposed to be guilty as pointed out by the
divine providence.

4. Nigeria - The priest greased a clock’s feather and pierced the tongue of the accused. If
the feather passed through the tongue easily, the accused was deemed innocent. If not, the
accused is guilty. Another Method (same country) Pour corrosive liquid into the eyes of the

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 accused who was supposed to remain unharmed if innocent. Pour boiling oil over the hand of
the accused with the

usual requisites for guilt or innocence (if remain unharmed, he is innocent).

5. Europe and Early United States (17th Century) - Trial by water was commonly used on
those accused of witchcraft. The accused was bound (hand and foot) and then cast into the body
of water. If the accused sank, he was hauled to the surface half-drowned and deemed innocent.
If the floated, he was deemed guilty and burned to death.