Liar Liar Pants on Fire

Liar Liar Pants on Fire

Gray walls, two chairs and a table, and a large mirror/window you know they’re watching you through. A tall man enters the room with what you know to be a polygraph. This moment has been on your head for days and you were studying all night on the functions of a lie detector. You know how polygraphs measure your pulse, blood pressure, and even breathing rate. Polygraphs are used for hard evidence in criminal cases or even for job interviews to see the honesty of an employee. But only, how can you cheat one?

Although there are many different methods that supposedly work, only a couple actually stuck. The first method is pain. Although it may hurt, your heart rate will stay the same throughout the test. When you lie, you don’t inflict pain upon yourself. When you tell the truth, you prick yourself with a pin (perhaps in your shoe) and your heart rate should stay the same. Also, another way to cheat a polygraph is to think of a frightening incident. According to ¨How to Cheat A Polygraph Test¨ it says, “If you can artificially worry yourself when answering a control question, you can modify the results of your test so that your "normal" responses appear the same as the responses that actually worry you. For instance, you might try doing mental arithmetic when a control question is asked. Count backwards by 7s in your head as quickly as possible or do some quick long division. This will help change your blood pressure and heart rate to a level that's similar to that which occurs during actual stressful situations - like answering a revealing question.” These ways are just a couple of the few ways to fake out a polygraph.

Ultimately, I found that lie detectors aren't as perfect as we humans may think. ¨How does a lie detector (polygraph) work?¨ says, “When a well-trained examiner uses a polygraph, he or she can detect lying with high accuracy. However, because the examiner's interpretation is subjective and because different people react differently to lying, a polygraph test is not perfect and can be fooled.” This subject may not be very important to know unless you’re a criminal or you’re going into the field but, it’s always good to have a few tricks up your sleeve.