Could a Yeerk fool a lie detector?

[Phoenix004]

Just a random thought I had a second ago that I want to discuss with you guys.

Imagine this scenario: Some type of government agency (one not heavily infiltrated by the Yeerks) begins to suspect that The Sharing is some type of cult. They send in one of their people undercover to find out more. Sooner or later, the guy gets caught and infested. When he reports back, he is put through a series of tests in case he has been brainwashed, and is given a lie detector test. He is asked a question (eg. "Do you spot any suspicious activity in The Sharing organisation?") and he replies "No." Obviously the Yeerk is forcing the host to lie, but would the lie detector pick up on that?

In short, if a Yeerk forces its host to lie, will it fool a lie detector?

[Chad32]

That's a good question. Depends on how much control a Yeerk really has on things like blood pressure and stuff. I know they can keep themselves from sending the kind of body language that hints at lying. Touching their face, or averting their eyes. How exactly does a lie detector work?

[Jadedkoi]

Well, Polygraph tests function by reading biometrics (heart rate, body temp, blood pressure, etc). The basic idea is that when someone lies their body gives a response due to their heightened mental/emotional state and the feedback this causes in their body functions.

Both illicit substances and coaching can result in a lie detector giving false negatives, so they can be beat. A polygraph test also relies on psychological setting and situation that is created by the interrogator to elicit a stronger-than normal subconscious reaction to get clearer results.

Given that we know that yeerks have focused on the police force as a target and have infested their ranks I think it's safe to assume that they know exactly how a polygraph works. Now as to whether or not a yeerk would be able to beat a polygraph, well...

I don't know. I'm leaning towards "yes" because of the advanced technology the yeerks posses and the rigid control that a yeerk usually has on its host. If a yeerk can usually suppress a host outburst I imagine it would be a cakewalk to fool a polygraph.

[DinosaurNothlit]

I'd say yes, for sure, as long as the Yeerk knew how the test worked.  A Yeerk's connection to a host's body isn't like your connection to your own body.  What might be an involuntary reaction for you would be controlled by a Yeerk's manipulation of your brain's signals, and thus would be totally voluntary for them.

But this would also depend on the Yeerk, I think.  Some Yeerks would have been in human hosts for long enough that they were totally in tune to human reactions and gestures, and thus acting human would have been second nature at that point.  These Yeerks would be at a disadvantage when trying to fool a polygraph test, obviously, because human reactions would have become almost as natural to them as to their human hosts.  Yeerks who were new to human hosts would probably be able to fool the polygraph, easy as pie.

[Mr. Guy36]

I don't know. I'm leaning towards "yes" because of the advanced technology the yeerks posses and the rigid control that a yeerk usually has on its host. If a yeerk can usually suppress a host outburst I imagine it would be a cakewalk to fool a polygraph.

This was my thought. If it's possible for a human to beat it with enough coaching, why not a Yeerk?

[Phoenix004]

To make this a fair test, we should assume that neither the Yeerk or the host have had training at resisting a lie detector.

The way I see it, the Yeerk would only be able to fool the detector if the Yeerk was capable of controlling the host's involuntary reactions. Since we don't know how much control Yeerks have over that kind of thing, it makes it difficult to say.

[goom]

i'd say possibly.
much better chance than without a yeerk, that's for sure

[ThinkAgain]

We know a Yeerk could control exterior things, such as blinking and such, so looking at them would be no more informative than staring down Hannibal Lector.

Things like heart rate however... are they based on the Yeerk's physical state, or the human's? For example, does heartrate increase based on the Yeerk's emotions or the humans? If it's the Yeerks, it should pass with no problem. The whole idea of a lie detector is based on how emotions affect you physically. A typical Yeerk sees humans as no more than animal hosts, so it shouldn't feel anything lying. It's just like when you tell a human, "State the sky is green." When they say, "The sky is green", they aren't really lying, and it wouldn't show up on the test.

If it's based on the human, well, the test would be failed instantly. The human would be so freaked out inside, as well as desperately trying to fail the test. So the test would be failed, most likely.

I'm leaning towards the fact it's based on the Yeerk, because controllers would be noticed far more often if they constantly had sweaty, clammy skin, as well as a high heart rate, all of which comes from constant fear or stress. So they probably could fool a lie detector, in my opinion.

[Myitt]

I'm leaning towards "yes", because to the Yeerk, there would be no suspicious activity.  And Yeerks were such fantastic actors...

Even if it was caught off guard, it could potentially control heart rate to a small enough degree that it would fool the test, or it probably would know all the lie detector test marks of suspicion (since its host would), and fool it that way.  

Or it could just get nervous, making its host get nervous, and fail the stupid thing like anyone lying would. x3

[Chad32]

I remember in book 19 that when Aftran was sad, Karen cried. So what the Yeerk is feeling translated to the host body, causing Karen to cry. So maybe a Yeerk would have trouble, without prior training.

[morfowt]

also regarding aftran, in book 29, she slowed down ax's hearts, at least a little, so they do have somewhat control over involuntary actions.

[Chad32]

You're right. She did. I'm not sure how a Yeerk could do that, though I suppose it goes in the same group of questions as "How does a Yeerk enter the brain through the ear canal without being able to bore a hole through the skull?".

This is a bit off topic, but I don't remember Ax saying anything about it after the book. Did he get over it that quickly?

[Phoenix004]

I doubt it's something Ax wanted to talk about. Besides, he knew that Aftran saved his life.

It's never really talked about, but I suppose it's possible that the Yeerks have at least a small amount of control over heart rate and similar bodily functions.

[ThinkAgain]

And if what Phoenix said is true, Yeerks should have no problem beating a lie detector 

[Phoenix004]

It's possible yes, but as far as I can recall, there isn't anything in the series that would prove it.