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Analog Studies: Laboratory studies of polygraph testing that simulate actual field examinations. The goal of Analog Studies is to test the validity of various polygraph techniques under controlled conditions.
Base Rate: The number of guilty or innocent subjects measured as a percentage of the total sample.
Cardiograph: The sensor component in polygraph instruments that records blood pressure, blood volume, and heart rate.
Data Analysis: The method by which the physiological data produced from the administration of the psychological structure test is analyzed and evaluated for a conclusion of truth or deception.
Electrodermal Response (EDR): A measure of physiological arousal determined by the skin's resistance or conductivity to electricity measured by Galvanic Skin Response.
Event-Specific Polygraph: A polygraph examination conducted in response to a known incident, involving reasonable cause to suspect a particular individual or set of individuals.
Exploratory Test: A non-specific control question test that contains relevant questions that deal with multiple issues.
False Negative: An erroneous decision that an examinee is not being deceptive when the examinee is actually being deceptive.
False Positive: An erroneous decision that an examinee is being deceptive when the examinee is actually being truthful.
Galvanic Skin Response (GSR): A measure of physiological arousal determined by the amount of decrease in the skin's resistance to electricity purportedly due to an increase in sweat gland activity.
Ground Truth: The establishment of actual guilt or innocence based on a factor other than the polygraph exam (i.e. confession or judicial verdict).
Inconclusive result: This is the examiner's required diagnostic opinion when an examinee's polygraph record shows responses that are insufficient to determine truthfulness or deception.
In-Test Phase: Portion of polygraph examination involving the collection of the physiological data recorded on the polygraph charts in response to questions asked by the examiner.
Neutral Question (also known as an Irrelevant Question): A question of a non-stimulating nature, or a question that is not related to the issue that generated the test.
Plethysmograph: A device used for finding variations in size of a segment of the body due to variations in the amount of blood passing through or contained in that segment.
Pneumograph: A mechanical or electronic device that records thoracic and/or abdominal breathing patterns.
Polygraph: The term literally means "many writings," which refers to the manner in which selected physiological activities are simultaneously recorded. Polygraphs records respiration, cardiovascular activity and electro dermal activity of an examinee while an examiner questions the examinee. The instrument itself is a combination of several recording devices routinely used in the medical and scientific community.
Post-Test Interview: The interview following the conclusion of the psycho physiological veracity examination or "in-test phase". The examinee has the opportunity to discuss the test with the examiner and ask questions during the Post-Test Interview.
Pre-Test Interview: The first phase of the examination that precedes the collection of the physiological data recorded on the polygraph charts, comprising the acquisition of examinee background data, refinement and finalization of the test question formulation, and explanation of the examination procedure.
Relevant Question: A test question related to the issue that generated the test.
(Source for many terms and definitions: Forensic Psychophysiology Using the Polygraph, Scientific Truth Verification - Lie Detection by James Allan Matte)
