It seems that polygraphs (“lie-detectors”) could be a useful aid to psychiatrists/psychologists in therapy. For example: Doc asks, “How do you feel about that?” Patient answers: “I feel fine about it.” Doc looks at polygraph, then replies, “I don’t think you’re being honest with me or with yourself…”
Are they now or have they ever been used in such a manner? Why or why not? Too difficult to operate? Too slow to return a response (i.e., the results require analysis minutes or hours after the utterance, rather than activating an instantaeous cartoonish blinking red light and buzzer everytime someone lies)? Too unreliable to trust? Too intimidating for already-distressed patients? Not, in the end, significantly more effective in ferreting out truth/lies than a reasonably well trained therapist?
Are lie-detectors used in psychiatry? Why or why not?