- polygraph
- 1. An instrument to obtain simultaneous tracings from several different sources; e.g., radial and jugular pulse, apex beat of the heart, phonocardiogram, electrocardiogram. The ECG is nearly always included for timing. 2. An instrument for recording changes in respiration, blood pressure, galvanic skin response, and other physiologic changes while the person is questioned about some matter or asked to give associations to relevant and irrelevant words; the physiologic changes are presumed to be indicators of emotional reactions, and thus whether the person is telling the truth. SYN: lie detector. [poly- + G. grapho, to write]- Mackenzie p. an instrument consisting of a system of tambours and a time-marker for recording simultaneously the jugular and arterial pulses and the apex beat; formerly used in the clinical investigation of cardiac arrhythmias.
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poly·graph 'päl-i-.graf n an instrument for simultaneously recording variations of several different pulsations (as of the pulse, blood pressure, and respiration) see LIE DETECTORpoly·graph·ic .päl-i-'graf-ik adjpoly·graph·i·cal·ly -i-k(ə-)lē adv* * *
poly·graph (polґe-graf) [poly- + -graph] an instrument for simultaneously recording various physiological responses as represented by mechanical or electrical impulses, such as respiratory movements, pulse wave, blood pressure, and galvanic skin responses. Such phenomena reflect emotional reactions which are of use in detecting deception. Popularly known as lie detector.
Medical dictionary. 2011.