ABSTRACT
Contrary to common belief and expectations, there is no machine – nor method – in this world that can detect lies and liars. Nevertheless, throughout the ages, people have persisted in their attempts to create such a device. In the modern era, the polygraph (lie detector) serves the purpose. Because it is based on measuring physiological responses, it is portrayed as scientific. However, the vast existing research on the polygraph method purporting to detect deception in specific incidents, as well as honesty in general, has consistently disclaimed its scientific basis. There does exist a method based on physiological responses designed to detect concealed knowledge (and not deception), whose scientific validity has been established. Unfortunately, it is very rarely used.
