MrAugust wrote on Nov 27^th, 2005 at 12:27am:

...it seems conclusive to me that as long as my wife is naive about the process (likely) then we should get an accurate result.

MrAugust,

Naive subjects pass and fail the polygraph all the time.  How does naivete make the polygraph accurate?  I failed the polygraph twice as a naive subject, despite telling the truth each time.  Would I fail a third one knowing what I know now?  Absolutely not--because I would not participate in another polygraph.  Naive subjects also pass the polygraph, but they are the lucky ones.

Perhaps you meant to say that a naive subject might be more likely to admit to something during a polygraph if she believed that whatever she was hooked up to (polygraph, car battery, copier machine, toaster) was indeed a "lie detector."  Of course, if this subject has nothing to admit or calls the polygrapher's bluff, then it makes the whole procedure more of a farce than it already is, and innocent, honest individuals often face ridiculous accusations.  Hopefully your wife will not suffer that humiliation.  Hopefully she will be a lucky one.

Regards and good luck