Despite U.S. military studies showing that computerized voice stress analysis is very poor at lie detection, even worse than “flipping a coin,” the Pentagon has begun using it in Iraq and Guantánamo Bay to interrogate detainees.
All this military interest comes a bit of a surprise. Because a 2002 study, funded by the Department of Defense Polygraph Institute, found “dismal results” for voice stress analysis, “both in the system’s ability to detect people actually engaged in deception and in its ability to exclude those not attempting to be deceptive,” according to the lead researcher, Washington University psychology Mitchell Sommers. “In our evaluation, voice-stress analysis detected some instances of deception, but its ability to do so was consistently less than chance — you could have gotten better results by flipping a coin.”
Another Defense Department study, from 2001, added, “no effect was seen in the CVSA data.” A third, from 1996, agreed with Sommers that the device’s results were “not significantly different from chance.” — Defense Tech
So why are they using it? It looks good. And the detainees don’t know it doesn’t work. It’s one big psyop. And it’s making these people a lot of money. CVSA is apparently a trademark of these hucksters. And if you ever find yourself subjected to one, please report back to me on what the machine makes of you laughing at your interrogators.
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Yaniv
Jul 09, 2005
This doesn’t make sense: “In our evaluation, voice-stress analysis detected some instances of deception, but its ability to do so was consistently less than chance — you could have gotten better results by flipping a coin.â€?
Hard to believe that the system (or any other system) is *worse* than luck; if it were, then simply reversing the lie/truth values would be better than chance, showing a predictive ability.
Andrew
Jul 25, 2005
I have been accused of touching my Fiance’s 2 year old granddaughter. I was subject of this test and the investigator told me that it was 100%. I had nothing to hide so I took it. He said it showed that I was lying and told my fiance that it was 100%. She did not believe that I did do it in the first place but now it has left doubt in her mind. I have not been charged as of this time but it is ruinning our lives.
Michael Hampton
Jul 25, 2005
Andrew, now you know, the test is 100% bullshit. Send your fianceé here, and we’ll clear this matter up.
daddy
Jan 05, 2007
ANDREW YOU KNOW YOU TOUCHED HER U SICK BITCH….KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF YOU SICKO…O AND BY THE WAY G TO CHURCH YOU NEED GOD!!!
A.H.
Apr 07, 2007
I underwent a so called voice stress analysis as part of the employment process for a police department. I lied, lied, lied and I passed, passed, passed. They just try to convince you that the machine works so that you will make confessions before, during and after the test. It may have been more convincing if the one administering the test would not have told me that lies would emit FM signals from my voice. That is ridiculous.
lh
Jan 01, 2008
are you sure aout that cause im going to try to be an officer but i had a troubled childhood but no convictions or any record and im a different person than what i was at 15 u know? how was this proven either way?
julie
Jan 14, 2008
I just took the CVSA for a job I applied for.
The examiner said that in the last two years I had done drugs, was fired from a job and hung out with the criminal element. All these things are wrong and verifiable. When will they stop lying to people about the accuracy of this hunk’o'crap!
Tommy
Feb 20, 2008
Well, I’ll find out soon enough if these tests are accurate.
I’ve applied with local law enforcement and I have to take one of these CVSA test. My thought on this is just tell the truth and maintain your integrity. If you go into a situation committed to lying you are just sitting your self up for failure.