The CFN Journal
Articles detailing the intersection of Forensic Psychophysiology, Investigative Psychology and Cyber Psychology.
A forensic guide to athlete eligibility screening, question design, examination standards, limitations and fair decision procedures.
Read Article arrow_forwardA cautious guide to when a professional polygraph examination may assist with a specific disputed allegation, and when it is not suitable.
Read Article arrow_forwardEvery stage of the polygraph examination process explained — from initial enquiry and question formulation through instrumentation, data collection, and receiving your results.
Read ArticleFrom the five-minute polygraph to the unbeatable spy, film and television get lie detection wrong in predictable ways. An investigative psychologist separates the fiction from the science.
Read ArticleDiscreet, professional polygraph examinations for families who employ domestic staff. Addressing theft, safeguarding concerns, dishonesty about qualifications, pre-engagement vetting, and absolute confidentiality.
Read ArticleWhat a polygraph can and cannot tell you about infidelity, the practical process, common fears about nervousness and false positives, consent, and when a lie detector test is not appropriate.
Read ArticleAnxiety alone does not cause false results. A professional guide to how SSRIs, beta-blockers, benzodiazepines and common mental health conditions are managed during polygraph examinations.
Read ArticleAn empathetic, evidence-based guide for the falsely accused. What a polygraph can and cannot prove, UK court admissibility, and how voluntary examinations support workplace, relationship and legal scenarios.
Read ArticleThe post-test process explained: result categories, what “inconclusive” means, the written report, emotional impact, next steps for each outcome, re-testing, and confidentiality.
Read ArticleNo — and here is why. Why consent is non-negotiable ethically, scientifically and legally, what a partner’s refusal does and does not mean, and how to approach the conversation constructively.
Read ArticleHow polygraph examinations are used as investigative and decision-support tools in custody disputes, the UK legal position, safeguarding considerations, and why child welfare is always paramount.
Read ArticleA clear, non-technical guide to therapeutic polygraph: who uses it, how the disclosure process works, the role of the therapist versus the examiner, and how results are reported using disclosure confidence.
Read ArticleA professional polygraph examination typically takes 2–3 hours. A step-by-step breakdown of each stage, from arrival to report delivery, and why rushing is a red flag.
Read ArticleEach new admission reopens the wound. Why trickle truth is more damaging than full disclosure, the psychology behind it, and how a therapeutic disclosure polygraph can end the cycle.
Read ArticleAn evidence-based analysis of why examiner expertise is arguably the single most important factor in the quality and defensibility of a forensic polygraph examination.
Read ArticleHow rapport, strategic information management and evidence-based interviewing principles may strengthen pre-test and post-test polygraph interviews without overstating the physiological test.
Read ArticleA scientific explanation of why repeated relevant questions can produce different physiological scores, drawing on orienting responses, salience, memory, habituation and predictive processing.
Read ArticleA clear UK guide to how polygraph examinations work, what the instrument measures, why question design matters, and why a polygraph does not directly detect lies.
Read ArticleA forensic guide to polygraph suitability, limitations and next steps, including a confidential case assessment for visitors unsure whether professional pre-screening is appropriate.
Read ArticleThe polygraph room is not just a backdrop — it is part of the forensic methodology. Dr Keith Ashcroft explains why climate control, acoustic isolation, privacy and neutral ground all contribute to the quality of psychophysiological data and why professional consulting rooms are the standard for forensic polygraph examinations.
Read ArticleDr Keith Ashcroft examines the stimulation test — what it is, why the British Psychological Society criticised certain implementations, how ethical practice differs, and why transparency matters more than persuasion.
Read ArticleDr Keith Ashcroft examines one of the most common misconceptions about polygraph examinations — that inadmissibility in court equals scientific worthlessness. A balanced, evidence-based analysis for solicitors, investigators, police officers, and professionals.
Read ArticleA comprehensive evidence-based guide for solicitors, courts, employers and individuals. Dr Keith Ashcroft explains how neurodiversity is assessed in the context of polygraph examinations, the role of reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010, and why individual suitability is always determined through professional assessment.
Read ArticleWhat is cyber-infidelity, why digital evidence is often incomplete, how cyber psychology explains online behaviour, and when a professionally conducted polygraph examination may help reduce uncertainty.
Read ArticleWhy professional polygraph examiners decline unsuitable cases, how safeguarding and ethical standards protect all parties, and when alternative approaches are more appropriate.
Read ArticleAn evidence-based guide to compulsive lying and pathological lying. Examines pseudologia fantastica, key differences, self-deception, common myths, and whether habitual liars can be tested using a polygraph.
Read ArticleAn evidence-based analysis of whether psychopaths can defeat polygraph examinations, reviewing landmark studies by Raskin, Hare, Patrick and Iacono, contemporary neuroimaging research, and adapted protocols for ASPD examinees.
Read ArticleA balanced, evidence-based response to common criticisms of polygraph testing, examining psychological mechanisms, the Comparison Question Test, modern evidential practice and where critics are correct.
Read ArticleHow confidence-based reporting supports therapeutic disclosure, accountability, relationship recovery, and informed decision-making in polygraph examinations.
Read ArticleCredibility, reliability and factual truth are different concepts. Drawing on Brennen, Blandhol & Magnussen (2026), Dr Keith Ashcroft explains why looking honest does not mean being correct, and what investigators, lawyers and polygraph examiners should do instead.
Read ArticleA trauma-informed and professionally defensible approach to polygraph examinations involving alleged victims and witnesses, focused on statement verification, safeguarding and investigative support.
Read ArticleA balanced, journalist-friendly explanation of polygraph accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, base rates, false positives and why headline accuracy claims can mislead.
Read ArticleAn authoritative, forensic-oriented visual and behavioural checklist to spot deepfakes, voice cloning, and AI scams. Protect your organisation and verify digital evidence.
Read ArticleDr Keith Ashcroft explains how screening polygraph results can be reported using structured High, Medium and Low Risk bands based on six key inputs including the polygraph outcome, disclosures, collateral information, seriousness, base rates and examiner–algorithm agreement.
Read ArticleDr Keith Ashcroft explains why polygraph accuracy figures from meta-studies depend on base rates, and how positive predictive value, negative predictive value, sensitivity and specificity affect the real-world meaning of a polygraph result.
Read ArticleAn explanation of the British One-Issue Screening Test (BOST), single-issue polygraph screening, directed-lie comparison questions, and a cautious adaptation using six repeated presentations of the same relevant screening issue.
Read ArticleA professional UK guide on asking a partner to take a lie detector test, including consent, suitability, relationship safety, question formulation, limits and alternatives.
Read ArticleA professional UK guide to infidelity polygraph test questions, explaining what can be asked, what should be avoided, consent, question formulation and limitations.
Read ArticleA professional UK guide explaining when a polygraph examination may assist with false allegations, its limitations, suitability factors, question formulation and legal safeguards.
Read ArticleDr Keith Ashcroft explains why UK polygraph examination fees vary and what affects the cost, including case complexity, venue, travel, preparation, question formulation and reporting.
Read ArticleA professional guide by Dr Keith Ashcroft explaining what to check before booking a lie detector test, including training, ethics, question formulation, consent, reporting and suitability.
Read ArticleThe King’s Speech 2026 proposes polygraph testing as a licence condition for state threat offenders under the National Security Bill. Dr Keith Ashcroft explains what this means for UK offender management and public protection.
Read ArticleA UK-focused guide to asset forfeiture polygraph examinations, hidden assets, financial disclosure, confiscation proceedings and professional credibility assessment by Dr Keith Ashcroft.
Read ArticleA professional guide for therapists and counsellors on helping clients prepare disclosure statements for therapeutic polygraph examination, including scope, timing, reporting and professional boundaries.
Read ArticlePreparing for a lie detector test? Learn what to eat, what to wear, medication guidance, how to speak to the examiner and what to avoid.
Read ArticleA practical guide for polygraph examiners on choosing defensible prior probabilities in event-specific, screening, therapeutic, and risk-management examinations.
Read ArticleDr Keith Ashcroft explains Raymond Nelson's research on prior probabilities, Bayesian reasoning and multiple-issue polygraph screening, and what it means for structured risk-management decisions.
Read ArticleA professional guide by Dr Keith Ashcroft on disclosure polygraph examinations for compulsive sexual behaviour, relationship repair and recovery support.
Read ArticleHM Government extends polygraph testing for high-risk offenders on licence. What the policy change means for risk management, public protection, and probation supervision.
Read ArticleProfessional polygraph services for solicitors and barristers. Clear guidance on private instruction, legal limits, ethical safeguards, and UK criminal trial inadmissibility.
Read ArticleDr Keith Ashcroft explains why AI “hallucinations” are better understood as confabulations, and why this distinction matters for forensic, legal, cyber, and professional decision-making.
Read ArticleThe nocebo effect shows how negative expectations can produce genuine physical symptoms. Dr Keith Ashcroft explores the implications for investigative interviews, forensic assessment, and psychophysiological detection of deception.
Read ArticleDr Keith Ashcroft reviews the science behind detecting deception in investigative interviews, including common myths, research-supported techniques, and their implications for professional practice.
Read ArticleA clear, professional explanation of the American Polygraph Association (APA) Standards of Practice, and why they matter for examiners, clients, solicitors and commissioners of polygraph services.
Read ArticleDr Keith Ashcroft explains Preliminary Process Theory (PPT) and how it provides a modern, multi-process account of the physiological responses measured in polygraph examinations.
Read ArticleReference
A plain-English reference covering polygraph examinations, credibility assessment, scoring methods, question design, and UK risk-management terminology.