THE ROLE OF PRIOR EXPECTATIONS IN POLYGRAPH EXAMINERS DECISIONS

In the present experiment, prior expectations were manipulated to exam ine whether and to what extent polygraph examiners' judgment is affect ed by their expectations. Each of seven experienced police polygraph e xaminers examined four innocent subjects suspected of cheating on an a ptitude test. The examiners were led to believe that two subjects are probably guilty and the other two are probably innocent. No relationsh ip was found between the final judgment of the examiners and their pri or expectations.