Date of Award
12-1986
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Dr. Jack Asher
Second Advisor
Dr. Brad Huitema
Third Advisor
Dr. Dale Brethower
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Open Access
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of the polygraph in a controlled laboratory setting. The Guilty Knowledge Test (GKT) was the procedure employed in conjunction with the galvanic skin subjects over the two trial each. Overall the polygrapher was correct 44 times, out of 80 trials. This number of detections exceeded chance (p<.001) levels. The manipulation of subject motivation with a monetary reward increased detection rates significantly (p<.05) in comparison to those offered money. With each subject being tested over two trials, there appears to be a habituation effect as indicated by a decrease in detection from trial one to trial two. The relationship fell slightly short of significance at the (p< .05) level. In general the level of the subject motivation may play a major role in the detection of subjects who attempt deceit.
Recommended Citation
Tuckett, Daniel Mark, "Detection of Deception in the Laboratory as a Function of Motivation and Set Size" (1986). Masters Theses. 1342.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/1342