The Use of an Enhanced Polygraph Scoring Technique in Homeland Security : The Empirical Scoring System --Making a Difference

Abstract

This thesis studies the polygraph Empirical Scoring System (ESS) to determine its potential use in homeland security and the war on terror. The research based its analysis on raw data previously collected by other researchers, who removed identifications from the data and subsequently provided it for study here. The results are described in regards to criterion accuracy; diagnostic capability; proportions of correct, errors, and inconclusive results; and the difference in scoring accuracy based upon participant employment and experience. Twelve scorers in three cohorts scored 22 You-Phase examinations taken from the Department of Defenseconfirmed archives. One cohort used the three-position test data analysis (TDA) system, another cohort used the seven-position TDA system, and the final cohort used the ESS TDA system. All TDA systems proved equally capable of diagnostic ability. ANOVAs showed no significant differences between the distributions of ESS and transformed scores. No significant differences were found in decision accuracy with correct, inconclusives, errors rates for ESS scores, and those from the other two TDA systems. That ESS can complement other current hand-score TDA systems is suggested. However, that it could supplant other TDA systems is not confirmable by this study. Further study is recommended.