Breathing Question

[Anonymous]

When establishing a normal breathing pattern, how many breaths a minute is normal?  Is the 3 second inhale and 3 second exhale about right?  I have heard of people failing their polygraphs because their breathing was too slow.  Could someone please let me know and any additional info reguarding pre-employment poly's would be greatly appriciated.

[George Maschke (Guest)]

Ten breathing cycles (inhalation and exhalation) per minute would be on the slow end of what polygraphers consider "normal." In chapter 4 of The Lie Behind the Lie Detector we wrote regarding baseline breathing patterns:

Your polygrapher will be happy if your breathing rate is between about 15 and 30 breaths per minute, or 2-4 seconds each. Pick a breathing rate within this range that is comfortable for you and take shallow--not deep--breaths. Each breath should be about the same length and well-rounded, that is, the transition between breathing in and breathing out should be gradual and not sudden, as with panting. Practice until it becomes second nature.

In Forensic Psychophysiology Using the Polygraph polygrapher James Allen Matte writes at p. 379:

Normal breathing rate ranges from ten to twenty-four cycles per minute. Breathing rate below ten cycles per minute usually indicates that the breathing is under conscious control. Once the FP [forensic psychophysiologist, i.e., polygrapher] has established that any of the above behavior is deliberate, the subject should be admonished. If the subject persists with the countermeasure, the test should be terminated and a post-test interview should be conducted to resolve the matter.

For more on how to pass a polygraph "test," read Chapters 3 and 4 of The Lie Behind the Lie Detector


Last modification: George Maschke - 01/07/01 at 02:35:36