Mapping Polygraph: A Bibliometric Analysis and Evolving Scientific Trajectory

Abstract

The accurate detection of deception in human interactions has long been of interest across a broad array of contexts and has been studied in many fields, including psychology, communication, and law enforcement. The truth is the fundamental pillar and a vital prerequisite for serving justice to maintain the integrity of peace and harmony within society. But obtaining the truth and achieving its distinction from deception within civilized standards is what poses a challenge for all law enforcement agencies in any country. Although there has been a range of scientific techniques which can be used to detect lying by analyzing the physiological activities of the human body to aid in more efficient crime investigation and thereby serve justice, their admissibility in the court of law has become a topic of debate. Therefore, in this review, an attempt has been made to understand the underlying issues in the use of polygraph and legal issues associated with it. Recent developments in polygraph and stress detection are explored in this review paper. Furthermore, a comparison has been made with the legal position of the polygraph in India with other countries across the world using a bibliometric analysis tool.