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A forensic researcher wanted to test the validity of the polygraph

or "lie detector" machine. She recruited ten test subjects. All test
subjects were male high school graduates between the ages of 20
and 25. She wrote a list of ten questions and asked the subjects to
tell the truth on questions 1, 2, 5, 8, and 10, and lie on questions 3,
4,6,7, and 9. She recorded the blood pressure of all test subjects
during all ten questions.

1 Answer

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Final answer:

The subject of this question is Psychology. The James-Lange theory of emotion suggests that polygraphs should be accurate at differentiating emotions.

Step-by-step explanation:

The subject of this question is Psychology. The question is asking about which theory of emotion would suggest that polygraphs should be accurate at differentiating one emotion from another. This relates to the use of polygraphs as lie detector tests, which measure physiological arousal in response to questions.

The theory that would suggest that polygraphs should be accurate at differentiating emotions is the James-Lange theory of emotion. According to this theory, our physiological responses to stimuli, such as increased heart rate and sweating, are what generate our emotional experiences. Therefore, if polygraphs can accurately measure physiological arousal, they should be able to differentiate emotions.

However, it is important to note that the validity and accuracy of polygraphs as lie detectors are highly questionable, as there is no evidence that lying is associated with any specific pattern of physiological arousal.

User Mikhail Genkin
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