Theoretical Issues in Psychophysiological Detection

Abstract

This book, like most other discussions of psychophysiological detection, focuses primarily on applied issues related to polygraph-based interrogations. However, the phenomenon of psychophysiological differentiation between relevant and irrelevant stimuli is interesting and challenging from a theoretical perspective. In this chapter we shall review several theoretical accounts that have been formulated to deal with psychophysiological detection and related phenomena. The focus of this discussion will be on the GKT, because this method is the basis for most of the research and theorizing in this area of psychophysiology and because it is the only standard and controlled detection procedure. As described in previous chapters, the alternative methods (e.g., RIT, CQT) are not standardized and are problematic in their use of control questions. As a result, it is difficult to provide theoretical interpretations for experimental effects and phenomena based on them.