Effects of prior demonstrations of polygraph accuracy on outcomes of probable-lie and directed-lie polygraph tests

In field polygraph administrations, operators typically use a so-called demonstration test to demonstrate to the examinee the accuracy of the polygraph in identifying truthful and deceptive responses. The purpose of this feedback is to increase the participant's physiological reactivity to the test items. The present study found evidence that effective feedback is unnecessary and that it is sufficient to merely expose the examinee to the demonstration test.