Michael B. Lynch

Michael B. Lynch received the J.J. Heger Award from the American Polygraph Association in 1994 and was honored with the Al & Dorothea Clinchard Award in 2014 for extended, distinguished, devoted and unselfish service on behalf of the APA membership. Lynch holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree and has served as school director for the Vollmer Polygraph training and education program. He has served as an Associate Editor for Polygraph & Forensic Credibility Assessment: A Journal of Science and Field Practice since at least 2017, contributing to the editorial oversight of the field's premier research publication.

Lynch's research contributions span both foundational historical work and contemporary applied polygraph science. His 1979 study with A. Markwart, "The Effect of Polygraph Evidence on Mock Jury Decision-Making," published in the Journal of Police Science and Administration, examined how polygraph test results influence jury deliberations, addressing critical legal and evidentiary questions about the role of psychophysiological detection in the courtroom. More recently, Lynch co-authored with Donald J. Krapohl and Mark Handler the "Terminology Reference for the Science of Psychophysiological Detection of Deception," 4th Edition (2022, published in European Polygraph in 2023), which established Lynch, Krapohl, and Handler as globally recognized authorities in the domain. This foundational reference documented the field's transformation from analog to digital polygraph technology and the shift from authority-based practices to evidence-based methodologies.

Lynch has maintained active involvement in the American Polygraph Association throughout his career, contributing to the organization's professional development and standardization efforts. His additional research includes work on clinical applications such as "Amnesia: Its detection by psychophysiological measures" (1980) and "A polygraphy examination of a sexually molested child" (1980), demonstrating expertise in specialized forensic applications of polygraph technology. His collaboration with co-authors Krapohl and Handler on the terminology reference represents one of the most significant standardization projects in modern polygraph science, as the work has been adapted internationally, including by the British Polygraph Society as the foundation for UK standards.