A quantitative review of the guilty knowledge test.
The guilty knowledge polygraph test (GKT; D. T. Lykken, 1959, 1960) is a psychophysiological method of identifying suspects with concealed information about a crime. A meta-analysis of 50 treatment groups drawn from 22 laboratory simulation studies (total N = 1,247) was conducted to provide a comprehensive estimate of GKT accuracy under controlled conditions. Electrodermal measures correctly identified 76% of participants with concealed knowledge and 83% of those without information. Informed participants were detected at rates significantly in excess of chance, with a mean weighted effect size of .57. Enactment of mock crimes increased the hit rate to 82%. The rates of false-positive error among noninformed treatment groups did not significantly exceed chance. Applications and research directions are discussed.
MacLaren
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Department of Psychology, University of New Brunswick, Saint John, Canada. vancem@nbnet.nb.ca
D000328:Adult; D003415:Crime / Q000523:psychology*; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006167:Guilt; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge; D008014:Lie Detection / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity