Michael C. Gougler

Michael C. Gougler is a polygraph examiner who served with the Texas Department of Public Safety, where he held the position of Captain and directed the Texas DPS Polygraph School. In 2008, Gougler served as President of the American Polygraph Association (APA), and he later served as Director 1 on the APA Board of Directors from 2021-2022. Throughout his career with the APA, Gougler served in various leadership roles including Seminar Program Chair, helping to organize the association's educational programs. Based in Texas, Gougler received the prestigious Cleve Backster Award in 2010, recognizing his contributions to the polygraph profession.

Gougler's research contributions focus primarily on polygraph scoring systems and countermeasure resistance. He served as Committee Chair for the APA's Ad-Hoc Committee on Validated Techniques, working alongside leading researchers including Raymond Nelson, Mark Handler, Don Krapohl, and Pamela Shaw. Gougler co-authored the influential 2011 study "Using the Empirical Scoring System," which described procedures for an evidence-based normative system for analyzing polygraph test data. He also contributed to research on the role of cognition and emotion in polygraph testing through the 2010 study "Some thoughts about feelings," and co-authored the 2015 study on vasomotor responses in the comparison question test, examining physiological measurement components.

Gougler has been recognized with multiple APA awards, including the Cleve Backster Award (2010 and 2021), the J.J. Heger Award (2000), and service recognition as APA Director in 2021. His collaborative work has been particularly influential in developing standardized approaches to polygraph data analysis. As a frequent co-author with Raymond Nelson, Mark Handler, Pam Shaw, Ben Blalock, Chad Russell, Barry Cushman, and Marty Oelrich, Gougler contributed to establishing empirically-based scoring methods that have become widely adopted throughout the United States and internationally. His work on the APA's validated techniques committee helped establish professional standards for polygraph testing methodologies used in both government and private sector applications.