ASTM E1954-98

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Designation:E1954–98
Standard Practice for
Conduct of Research in Psychophysiological Detection of
Deception (Polygraph)
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 1954; 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 (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope deceptive and truthful subjects. Calculation of criterion-related
validity shall be the number of correct decisions divided by the
1.1 This practice covers essential and recommended ele-
number of conclusive decisions. Decisions not considered
ments in the design, conduct, and reporting of research on
conclusive are those labeled “Incomplete”, “Inconclusive”,
psychophysiological detection of deception (polygraph). Ana-
“Indefinite”, “No Opinion”, “Terminated”, or others that are
log and field research are addressed separately.
not opinions regarding the veracity of a subject’s statements. If
1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the
a testing technique permits retesting when initial results are not
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
conclusive,thefinalresultafteralltestingiscompletedshallbe
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
the prevailing decision, and that result shall be used in the
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
computation of criterion-related validity.
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
4. Summary of Practice
2. Referenced Documents
4.1 Laboratory Research:
2.1 ASTM Standards:
4.1.1 Unless subjects must be individually trained or con-
E XXXX Terminology for Psychophysiological Detection
ditioned to achieve some criterion, subject manipulation pro-
of Deception, Terminology, and Ethics
cedures shall require minimal human interaction. Those por-
3. Terminology tions requiring human interaction shall be standardized to the
extent possible.
3.1 Definitions:
4.1.2 All procedures shall be described and reported in
3.1.1 For full explanations of terminology relating to psy-
sufficient detail that others can replicate them. This shall
chophysiological detection of deception, refer to Terminology
include logistical factors that may introduce systematic error,
E XXXX.
such as when subject handling allows them to reveal their
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
programming to one another, or arrival times cue testing
3.2.1 utility—the proportion of results that are conclusive
examiners regarding programming. All research-related mate-
shall be considered a measure of utility, and shall be calculated
rials shall be retained by the researcher for at least five years
by dividing the number of results that are conclusive by the
from date of publication. Reasonable accommodation shall be
total number of observations. The utility value obtained by this
made to other researchers for access to research documentation
method shall not be less than 0.80 for validated techniques. If
and data. Documentation of procedures shall include, but not
a technique permits retesting when initial results are not
be limited to, copies of subject instructions, test questions,
conclusive, the final result after testing is completed shall be
testing technique, question sequence, description of circum-
the prevailing decision, and that result shall be used in the
stances and facilities, raw data, and any tape recordings
computation of utility.
presented.
3.2.2 validity—a polygraph testing technique shall be con-
4.1.3 So far as possible, the only difference between pro-
sidered validated if the preponderance of the independent
grammed deceptive and programmed nondeceptive subjects
research determines the said technique achieves a criterion-
should be their participation in the act to which deception
related validity of 0.90 or greater in discriminating between
occurs during the PDD testing.
4.1.4 Non-exploratory studies shall test a sufficient number
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E-52 on Forensic
of subjects to obtain a statistical power of 0.80 or higher using
Psychophysiology and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E52.01 on
a 0.05 significance level. Studies that are exploratory in nature;
Research.
that do not obtain this power level; shall be clearly identified as
Current edition approved April 10,
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