Has there been any research on differences in physiological responses to polygraph exam questions across genders and ethnicities?  Maybe even across age groups?

If polygraphy is valid, there should not be subtantial variance across groups, correct?

It seems like this information would be fascinating, regardless of one's opinion of polygraphy.

Human Subject,
I think it is commonly considered that polygraphs are quite useless with young children (under 8 years), because of their open innocence and susceptibly to manipulation. Their desire to "please" will in fact overcome any psychological or physiological response that may occur.
Polygraphs are also questionable in elderly people, whose minds may be degenerating due to Alzheimers or senility. As an example, my grandmother has to be reminded every week when I see her that yes, I did get married, and yes, I did have 3 kids. Hook her up to a polygraph and ask her if I have children and she'll tell you no. And the charts will show no deception. She also thinks my older brother is our father, who has been dead for 10 years.
Ethnicity is tough. No doubt the majority of persons confessing after a polygraph in a criminal investigation are minorities. But the majority of criminal investigations involve minorities. The question would be one of percentage relationships. But with the poly community totally unwilling to share or pool its data, allegedly out of "concern" for the subject's privacy, we'll never know.

Orolan

Looks like you've finally come over to our side.  Congratulations.  Reading your post at least gives that impression.  You write: 

"Hook her up to a polygraph and ask her if I have children and she'll tell you no. And the charts will show no deception."

I guess you've finally realized polygraph does discern between truth and deception.   

Saidme,
My bad. I should have written:
"Connect her to a physiological response measuring device and present her with the interrogative statement "Does ... have any biological offspring?" She will then reply in the negative, and the constant-rate recording device attached to the aforementioned physiological response measuring device will fail to record any variation in the various physiological phenomena it is designed to measure."

Better

I note that you choose not to offer an opinion about the initial post of this thread

Saidme,

I take it your not concerned about the DODPI's study that seems to show racial bias- since you didn't answer the question.

Now you don't seems to care about the findings of the pro-polygraph 'experts' either.  Hmm.

How can the polygraph just be about telling the truth or lying?

Your not starting to believe that there are no false positives, false negatives and countermeasures are you?

I used to hold you in higher regard than a 'true believer', but I am begining to think that you might not just be a 'utility' guy after all.

What happened? Did the brainwashing finally break you?

Saidme wrote on Aug 4^th, 2003 at 1:20am:


I guess he's talking about Doug Williams.

Saidme,

Don't care about racial bias and you work for the justice system?  Good grief!!!

If the only thing you care about is confessions, you should have been a priest.

Quote:

Very true, considering that police officers are getting accused almost as fast as priests of alleged "sexual improprieties"