Skip to content

Federal government Quote by Paul Ekman

“federal government is the third largest user of the polygraph test to detect lying. In 1982 22,597 tests were reported by various federal agencies.* Most were given to investigate a crime, except for the polygraph tests given by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Central Intelligence…” quote by Paul Ekman
Download Open image
““federal government is the third largest user of the polygraph test to detect lying. In 1982 22,597 tests were reported by various federal agencies.* Most were given to investigate a crime, except for the polygraph tests given by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). These agencies use the polygraph for intelligence and counterintelligence investigations.””

Paul Ekman

About This Quote

Source Report: Congressional Hearing on Polygraph Use, 1982

The federal government heavily relies on polygraph testing for investigations, especially intelligence agencies, to assess truthfulness.

In simple terms: Govt uses lie detectors widely, especially in intelligence.

Key Takeaway

Consider the reliability and ethics of polygraph use.

Themes

government investigation truthfulness ethics security

Mood

skeptical concerned

Type

analytical informative

When to use this quote

  • law enforcement
  • CIA investigations
  • NSA security
  • courtroom testimony

Key Concepts

polygraph reliability intelligence gathering counterintelligence psychology

Questions to Reflect On

  • Should reliance on polygraphs be reduced?
  • What alternatives exist for truth verification?
A Different Perspective

Polygraph accuracy is contested and may produce false positives.

2.7 out of 5 (7 ratings)

More by Paul Ekman

Explore all 57 Paul Ekman quotes

More Federal government quotes

Browse all 1,120 Federal government quotes