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tl;dr (and I don't think it's even mentioned in the article) You can cheat a polygraph by flexing your anal sphincter. More: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsoI92BfmqY
I think it's interesting because it somewhat supports the claim. If clinching didn't work or help in some way, why bother including a motion detector under your backside.
[https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-human-beast/2013...]
There is a lot of great info on the subject at https://antipolygraph.org/
[0] https://antipolygraph.org/lie-behind-the-lie-detector.pdf
Lie detector tests rely on psychological intimidation. The testee invariably gives up compromising information over the course of the test, allowing the tester to apply leverage or outright coercion. If no useful information is divulged, the test is marked a fail and requires a repeat.
Not quite a pseudoscience but not so accurate as to warrant allowing a person's life to be upended as has been documented on many occasions [0]. Unsurprisingly, there's a history of the polygraph industry litigating against third parties that question the reliability of polygraphs [1]. [0] https://www.wired.com/story/inside-polygraph-job-screening-b... [1] https://antipolygraph.org/
The polygraph is entirely scientific in the way it actually works: eliciting forced confessions under psychological coercion. However, for that coercion to be effective, the targets and the public at large must be convinced of a pseudoscientific idea that lies are detectable physiologically. Hence the conflict between the promoters and the detractors, proving that it works would make it no longer work.
I'm fairly sure that you are required to take a lie detector to join the FBI, which makes me worry about the validity of all federal forensics. And now we're resuming executions...
https://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/fbi-testimo...
Or "bite mark analysis" (don't google that, it will ruin your day as well).
I passed a polygraph, I was untruthful and still passed. The person administering the test had done tbis for the FBI for 15 years. I had no special training.