The Utility of Polygraph as an Investigative Tool in National Security - Research Proposal Example

Research Method and Design Introduction One of the most challenging concerns of every world nation in the contemporary time has been national security and the modern situation of terrorism and nuclear conflicts increase the need for better strategies of national security. In this background, the importance of a profound analysis in the utility of polygraph as an effective strategy to counter the threats to national security is indubitable. Significantly, there have been several researches conducted in the area of polygraph in relation to national security and all these studies focus on offering a compelling response to the ongoing debate on the utility of polygraph in national security. In fact, there have been differences of opinion on the question and only a qualitative research investigation into the utility of polygraph with regard to national security can offer a logical conclusion on this challenging topic. “Despite the widespread acceptance of polygraph testing utility, empirical data indicating how often admissions and confessions lead to investigative breakthroughs is unavailable. This is especially so in national security investigations where it has been noted that no spy has ever been identified as a result of a polygraph test, while false negatives, such as the failure to catch notorious CIA spy Aldrich Ames despite repeated polygraph tests, are known.” (Cacioppo, Tassinary, and Berntson, 2007, p. 691). These enduring debates on the topic as well as the increase in the threats to national security have contributed to the vital importance of a profound research into the utility of polygraph as an investigative tool in national security. Therefore, this paper endeavors to develop an envisioned methodology and design for the dissertation research topic ‘the utility of polygraph as an investigative tool in national security’ and to identify the theoretical groundwork as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the envisioned method and design. Research Methodology and Design The most important purpose of this research is to investigate the utility of polygraph as an investigative tool in national security and it is necessary to undertake the most effective research methodology in order to arrive at a logical finding on this debatable topic. In order to determine the efficiency of polygraph testing as an investigative tool in national security, it is important to consider all the effective research methods of investigation as it is an essential topic of research which requires the most effective research methodology. In fact, there are three fundamental methods of research: the qualitative research method, the quantitative research method, and the mixed research method. “In a qualitative project, the author will describe a research problem that can best be understood by exploring a concept or phenomenon… [Q]ualitative research is exploratory and researchers explore a topic when the variables and theory base are unknown… In a quantitative project, the problem is best addressed by understanding what factors or variables influence an outcome… A mixed methods study can employ either the qualitative or the quantitative approach (or some combination)…” (Creswell, 2003, pp. 74-6). As the topic ‘the utility of polygraph as an investigative tool in national security’ covers essential areas of national interests and importance, the study intends to undertake a qualitative research method in determining the utility of polygraph. In other words, the proposed research on the utility of polygraph as an investigative tool in national security seeks to arrive at logical conclusion and findings through a profound qualitative research method which incorporates investigations of essential areas of concerns with regard to the topic. The primary method of collecting data for the qualitative analysis in the study is an extensive review of current published literature on the topic which fundamentally includes the various arguments supporting and opposing the attempts to utilize polygraph testing method as an investigative tool in national security. The efficacy of qualitative research methods in the investigation of the utility of polygraph as an investigative tool in national security is beyond doubts and it is important to realize the various benefits of the research method. Unlike any other current research methods, it gives high reliability and validity to the research findings which help the researchers in dealing with the most difficult topics of investigation and arriving at the most rewarding research conclusions. “Qualitative research allows the subjects being studied to give much ‘richer’ answers to questions put to them by the researcher, and may give valuable insights which might have been missed by any other method. Not only does it provide valuable information to certain research questions in its own right but there is a strong case for using it to complement quantitative research methods.” (Qualitative research methods) Though the qualitative research methods were originally used in the social sciences to facilitate researchers in investigating social and cultural phenomena, it is the most convincing research methodology in the current researches. The utility of the qualitative research method in dealing with the various complex areas of study in the research on the function of polygraph as an investigative tool in national security cannot be questioned. The research methodology in this investigative analysis seeks to collect data through an extensive review of the literature on the utility of polygraph as an investigative tool in national security. There have been compelling researches conducted in the area and the results of these studies have a vital function in any further investigations in the area. Therefore, one of the most important elements of research methodology employed in this study is a complete literature review with regard to the various findings on the utility of polygraph as an investigative tool in national security. “Polygraph examinations have been advocated as a way to ascertain guilt of criminal suspects, to exculpate innocent suspects, to protect national security, employee honesty. Polygraph examinations have, at the same time, been criticized for providing inaccurate and misleading information, for failing to detect security risks, for interfering with the rights of private citizens, and for lowering employees’ morale. At the center of controversy over the use of polygraph examinations is the question of its validity: does a polygraph examination actually identify truthful and non-truthful individuals?” (Scientific Validity of Polygraph Testing: A Research Review and Evaluation). Therefore, a profound analysis of the previous research findings has a significant application in the research methodology adopted for the study. The method of literature review for collecting data for analysis is an essential part of the research as it determines the validity of the qualitative research undertaken. As the current studies in the area suggest, it is important to realize realities about use of polygraph testing in different sections of the national security. “The use of the polygraph in security clearance investigations has a long and controversial history… Although the polygraph is useful in eliciting admissions, the potential also exists for excessive reliance on the examination itself. A related concern is that too much trust is placed in polygraph examiners’ skills, creating a false sense of security within agencies that rely on the polygraph. The few Government-sponsored scientific research reports on polygraph validity (as opposed to its utility), especially those focusing on the screening of applicants for employment, indicate that the polygraph is neither scientifically valid nor especially effective beyond its ability to generate admissions.” (Cohen, 2000, p. 63). The methodology adopted in this particular study indicates that a qualitative research method can best help a researcher in determining the utility of polygraph testing as an investigative tool in national security. Serious dispute remains on the employment of polygraphs in areas of high national security concerns and only a qualitative investigation can determine the actual significance of polygraphs in checking the security threats at the national level. The research methodology recommended for this investigation also makes use of a thorough investigation of the various aspects of polygraph testing. The data collection process for the qualitative analysis of the extensive usefulness of polygraphs depends on an investigation of the process of polygraph testing. The qualitative methods employed in the research investigation and data collection are distinctive and there will be high employment of text data for data collection. “Qualitative procedures stand in stark contrast to the methods of quantitative research. Qualitative inquiry employs different knowledge claims, strategies of inquiry, and methods of data collection and analysis. Although the processes are similar, qualitative procedures rely on text and image data have unique steps in data analysis, and draw on diverse strategies of inquiry.” (Creswell, 2003, pp. 179). Therefore, the study will make use of other important methods of data collection and inquiry. Interview techniques of data collection are one of the most effective strategies of inquiry and interviews of the scholars and practitioners in polygraph testing can offer vital data for investigation. Theoretical Underpinnings and Strengths/Weaknesses of the Research Method and Design The research paper on the utility of polygraph testing as an investigative tool in national security makes use of the qualitative research methodology of research which can help determine the real effect of the attempts to employ polygraph in different areas of national security. It has been widely acknowledged in the research arena that the qualitative research method is the most effective and established research method to investigate the qualitative nature of research questions and this particular study has a vital characteristic of assessing the quality of polygraph testing in checking the wider security threats at the national level. Therefore, the qualitative research method is effective in providing concrete results to determine the specific nature of a process or practice and the findings of the study will be highly reliable. “Qualitative research is oriented towards analyzing concrete cases in their temporal and local particularity and starting from people’s expressions and activities in their local contexts. Therefore, qualitative research is in a position to design ways for social sciences, psychology, and other fields to make concrete the tendencies… to transform them into research programs, and to maintain the necessary flexibility towards their objects and tasks.” (Flick, 2009, p 21). Therefore, the qualitative research methodology is effective in bringing about a very logical conclusion on the utility of polygraph testing as an investigative tool in national security. The characteristics of a qualitative research method includes a spectrum of methods rather than a single method, aptness of the methods, contextuality, perspectives of participants, reflective capability of the investigator, construction of reality as a basis, the textual discipline, and the discovery and theory formation as a main goal etc. The basic theoretical assumptions of qualitative research are the following. 1. Social reality is understood as a shared product and attribution of meanings. 2. Processual nature and reflexivity of social reality are assumed. 3. ‘Objective’ life circumstances are made relevant to a life-world through subjective meanings. 4. The communicative nature of social reality permits the reconstruction of social reality to become the starting point for research.” (Flick, Kardorff, Steinke, and Jenner, 2004, p. 12). Therefore, the theoretical underpinnings of the research methodology cannot be questioned and it is a superior method of investigation in researches of similar nature. Conclusion The utility of polygraph as an investigative tool in national security is a major research topic which has important implications and it is a topic of serious debate and investigations. The continuing debates on the question of adopting a policy to employ polygraph as an investigative tool in national security as well as the increase in the threats to national security have contributed to the vital importance of a profound research into the topic. Therefore, the envisioned methodology and design for the dissertation topic ‘the utility of polygraph as an investigative tool in national security’ have vital significance in determining the realities of various arguments for and against the practice of employing polygraph testing in national security. The qualitative research method and design proposed in the paper can lead to a logical conclusion and essential findings in the area. References Cacioppo, John T., Tassinary, Louis G. and Berntson, Gary G. (2007). Handbook of psychophysiology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 691. Cohen, Sheldon I. (2000). “Use of the Polygraph in Security Clearance Investigations.” Security Clearances and National Security Information: Law and Procedures. Defense Creswell, John W. (2003). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Method Approaches. SAGE. pp. 74-6. Flick, Uwe., Kardorff, Ernst von., Steinke, Ines., and Jenner, Bryan. (2004). A companion to qualitative research. SAGE. p. 12. Flick, Uwe. (2009). An Introduction to Qualitative Research. SAGE Publications Ltd. p 21. Personnel Security Research Center. p. 63. Retrieved April 17, 2009, from http://antipolygraph.org/documents/security-clearances.shtml “Qualitative research methods.” Help Sheet9. RDSU: Peninsula Research and Development Unit. Retrieved April 17, 2009, from http://projects.exeter.ac.uk/prdsu/helpsheets/Helpsheet09-May03-Unlocked.pdf Scientific Validity of Polygraph Testing: A Research Review and Evaluation. Office of Technology Assessment. DIANE Publishing. 1983. Read More