I have a friend who is currently applying for the FBI and CIA.  They said he will be taking a polygraph test and explained to him all the processes.  He stated one of the tests was that they put a camera in front of his eyes and check his pupil to dilate, just like in the movie "The Recruit".  I told him I used to post on this cite a lot and never heard of such device and he said its new CIA technology and that the pupil test is 100% accurate according to the CIA.  My question to him was, if it is 100%, then why do they measure all the other responses then???  Anyhow, can anyone help out on info on this new device or are they feeding him Hollywood BS?

Sincerely,

Nate
Old antipolygraph.org member   

Nate,

The eye reflex that involves pupillary dilation and constriction is quite well understood as well as the internal and external influences that lead to this reflex.  The autonomic nervous system involvement, i.e., parasympathetic innervation of the circular smooth muscle (sphincter pupillae) of the iris and the sympathetic innervation of the radial smooth muscle (dilator pupillae) leading to constriction and dilation, respectively, forms the basis of perhaps what is one of the earliest recognized of bodily reflexes.   

With regard to lie detection, this is just one more dependent variable (e.g., heart rate, electrodermal  (sweating) response, etc) that is reasonably well understood that when utilized within a paradigm involving a rather poorly constructed, not well understood, and completely confounded independent variable (the asking of and response to questions within a control question lie test) that leads to meaningless and often misrepresented and misused data.  Neither pupillary dilation nor any other dependent variable (addition of or modification to) will improve a paradigm involving a severely flawed independent variable (the various control question test polygraph formats) and any representation otherwise is nothing but a smoke and mirrors golly gee whiz representation to an ignorant lay population.

He stated that the test was with the CIA and it was described by him by the CIA recruiter that they use the same test as in the movie "The Recruit" and that its’ a new technology and is 100% accurate, bla bla bla.  I told him I thought it didn't exist and that I would check into it.  It sounds based upon the research that it might be possible.  Wanted to know if anyone got that far in the testing recently to confirm this....

Gentlemen,

I do not think that the FBI is currently using this added item.  I am not sure how it will be welcomed into the polygraph community as a whole because it would possibly give some amount of credence to non-polygraph procedures (CVSA, Eye movement, etc.).

I can see the CIA using it because their whole security investigation and interview is based on a certain amount of intimidation and bullying.  This "eye dilation" sounds "scientific" and on the surface might sway someone who otherwise is not concerned with the polygraph as a truth telling device.

Regards.