Educing Information: Interrogation - National Intelligence University

issues, ethical and legal issues must be taken into consideration before employing
these types of techniques for non-clinical purposes such as detecting deception.
Conflicting Approaches
The most significant problem is that none of these mechanical devices has
been scientifically shown to be capable of accurately and reliably detecting
deception. Of the tests used in conjunction with these mechanical devices, only
the GKT/CIT has been shown to be reliable and based on objective methods.
There are two schools of thought on the approach to solving this problem.
One, referred to as “theory first,” states that there must first be a sound theoretical
basis on which to design such a system. The second, referred to as “system first,”
asserts that such a system can be developed in the absence of a theory.
Those who subscribe to the “theory first” school of thought believe that
additional research is needed to assert and test hypotheses that explain why
lying causes measurable changes (somatic, autonomic, or neurological), and
not simply to establish a correlation between the act of lying and particular
values of, or changes in, the observed features. They state that observation of a
correlation, without knowledge of an underlying causal theory, requires several
key assumptions before the results of the research can be used for operational
purposes.
• According to the “accuracy assumption,” the pattern of features correlated
with deception will be present if deception is taking place. It also assumes
that the test will in fact detect any of the possible types of deception the
subject may choose to use and that the test is designed to detect (e.g.,
memorized scenarios).
• According to the “specificity assumption,” the pattern of features
correlated with deception will be observed only if deception is actually
taking place. In other words, it will not be affected by one or more of the
many other psychological or physiological processes that may also have
been occurring during the research study (e.g., indigestion), but that may
be mistaken for deception. Note that the use of a correlation with a theory
provides no guidance as to what impact, if any, a countermeasure might
have on the accuracy or specificity of the test.
• According to the “sample generalization assumption,” the results of
a research study based on the specific sample of subjects tested can
be applied to any other sample drawn from the larger population of
those requiring a polygraph test. The operational sample may include
individuals who are significantly different in some respect from the
sample used to determine the original correlation (e.g., subjects with
psychopathological syndromes, subjects from other cultures, etc.).
Bashore and Rapp (1993) and Iacono (2000) recommended that research
efforts directed toward the further development of polygraphy be abandoned in
favor of basic research aimed toward the development of “a science of deception
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