ASTM E1954-05(2017)

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: E1954 − 05 (Reapproved 2017)
Standard Practice for
Conduct of Research in Psychophysiological Detection of
Deception (Polygraph)
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E1954; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope examiners regarding programming. All research-related mate-
rials shall be retained by the researcher for at least five years
1.1 This practice establishes essential and recommended
from date of publication. Reasonable accommodation shall be
elements in the design, conduct, and reporting of research on
made to other researchers for access to research documentation
psychophysiological detection of deception (polygraph)
and data. Documentation of procedures shall include, but not
(PDD). Analog and field research are addressed separately.
be limited to, copies of subject instructions, test questions,
1.2 This international standard was developed in accor-
testing technique, question sequence, description of circum-
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
stances and facilities, raw data, and any tape recordings
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
presented.
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
4.1.3 So far as possible, the only difference between pro-
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
grammed deceptive and programmed nondeceptive subjects
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
should be their participation in the act to which deception
occurs during the PDD testing.
2. Referenced Documents
4.1.4 Non-exploratory studies shall test a sufficient number
2.1 ASTM Standards:
of subjects to obtain a statistical power of 0.80 or higher using
E2035 Terminology Relating to Forensic Psychophysiology
a 0.05 significance level. Studies that are exploratory in
nature—that do not obtain this power level—shall be clearly
3. Terminology
identified as exploratory studies.
3.1 Definitions—For full explanations of terminology relat-
4.1.5 To the extent possible, when conducting validity and
ing to PDD, refer to Terminology E2035.
reliability studies, participants performing the testing and
evaluating the physiological data shall be unaware as to both
4. Summary of Practice
the programming of the subjects and the base rates of decep-
4.1 Laboratory Research:
tion. The degree of knowledge of the participants shall be
4.1.1 Unless subjects must be individually trained or con-
detailed in the report.
ditioned to achieve some criterion, subject manipulation pro-
4.1.6 All instrumentation shall be fully reported, including
cedures shall require minimal human interaction. Those por-
any modification of standard equipment. When using field
tions requiring human interaction shall be standardized to the
instruments, researchers shall report the manufacturer, model,
extent possible.
typesofrecordingchannels,whetherthechannelsaremechani-
4.1.2 All procedures shall be described and reported in
cally or electronically driven, and whether the instrumentation
sufficient detail that others can replicate them. This shall
is computerized.
include logistical factors that may introduce systematic error,
4.1.7 Statements of generalization shall be limited to that
such as when subject handling allows them to reveal their
which the data, procedures, and statistical methodology can
programming to one another, or arrival times cue testing
support.
4.1.8 A human subject research review shall be performed
by a recognized independent entity for all studies involving the
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E52 on Forensic
participation of subjects.
Psychophysiology and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E52.01 on
Research.
4.2 Field Research:
Current edition approved Oct. 1, 2017. Published October 2017. Originally
4.2.1 The process for selecting cases shall be thoroughly
approved in 1998. Last previous edition approved in 2011 as E1954 – 05 (2011).
DOI: 10.1520/E1954-05R17.
reported, including at least the source, method, exclusionary
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
criteria, and subject population. With respect to subjects, the
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
report shall clearly articulate the proportions of the sample that
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the ASTM website. are suspects, witnesses, and victims.
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E1954 − 05 (2017)
4.2.2 The qualifications of the polygraph testing and chart Opinion, Terminated, or others that are not opinions regarding
evaluating participants shall be identified in the report, includ- the veracity of a subject’s statements.
ing formal polygraph training, field experience, and any
5.2 Investigative PDD Examinations—An investigative
licensing or certification.
PDD testing method shall be considered sufficiently valid if the
4.2.3 Researchers shall report the degree to which poly-
majority of three or more research articles meeting the mini-
graph chart evaluators were kept unaware with regard to
mum requirements set forth in this practice indicate that the
extrapolygraphic information. Specifically, they shall report
average decision accuracy for deceptive and nondeceptive
whether the polygraph chart evaluators were aware of base
cases is 80 % or greater in the discrimination between decep-
rates, case facts, the study hypothesis, subject verbal behavior,
tive and truthful cases.
subject gestures, or other extrapolygraphic details. Moreover,
5.2.1 Average accuracy shall be calculated using the follow-
researchers shall report whether examiners who participated in
ing formula:
the research normally include any of these factors in their
AA 5 $~cG/dG!1~cI/dI!%/2·100 (2)
decisions during field testing.
4.2.4 All instrumentation shall be fully reported, including
where:
any modification of standard equipment. When using field
cG = number of correct decisions with Guilty subjects,
instruments, researchers shall report the manufacturer, model,
dG = total number of conclusive decisions with Guilty
typesofrecordingchannels,whetherthechannelsareme
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