THE ROLE OF COMPARISON QUESTIONS IN PHYSIOLOGICAL DETECTION OF DECEPTION

Comparison questions in physiological detection of deception were stud ied with 60 ''guilty'' and 60 ''innocent'' participants in a mock crim e experiment. Different types of comparison questions were used in fou r conditions: relevant-irrelevant (R-I) participants answered only rel evant and neutral questions; trivial directed lie participants were in structed to lie to three of the six neutral questions; personal direct ed lie participants were instructed to lie to personally relevant ques tions; and probable lie participants received traditional probable lie comparison questions. Respiration, cardiovascular, vasomotor, and ele ctrodermal activity were recorded. Manipulation of the comparison ques tions produced different patterns of physiological responses for innoc ent but not for guilty participants. The R-I test produced an unaccept able rate of false positive decisions.