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Realize that the "moral character issue" questions you mentioned are most likely probable-lie control questions. Simply lying to a loved one or betraying someone's trust will not disqualify you from a law enforcement job (unless, of course, you reveal something relating to the control question that is in itself incriminating or presents a conflict of interest with the agency). These are simple, easily identified control questions that you are expected to lie on and actually need to lie on in order to pass the exam.
Take a look at the most recent DoD polygraph material available here. I think there's a link from the default page of this site (www.antipolygraph.org). I don't know what agency you applied for, but it is highly unlikely that your agency deviated from the basic outline indicated in this material for pre-employment screening exams.
In any event, you should take the lack of a post-test interrogation as a good sign and stop worrying. If you didn't lie and didn't use CMs, a failure would be a false positive like many others have experienced. Good luck.
Posted by: Jitters Posted on: Mar 4th, 2004 at 1:56am
Did you have any issues to hide coming into your polygraph? Drugs or crime related?
Nope. Just nerves is all, was nervous before which is why I investigated it, after finding this site my nerves doubled:) I am curious as to why you ask. Let's say I was hiding something, does this change the outlook on whether you would think I passed or failed? I think I would still be confident I passed based on the demeanor of the tester and the fact he still completed other hiring process items after it was all over. Why bother if I was shown as deceptive? Seeing how nervous I was I am a little cautious as to how it came out, I found myself freaking out after the questions until I calmed down the 2nd half. Though I have some doubt, I would still be surprised if I failed.
Posted by: Ray Posted on: Mar 3rd, 2004 at 11:37pm
"Have you ever done anything we did not talk about that would embarrass yourself or the department?" is most definitely a (probable lie) control/comparison question. I suspect that there were others as well that you did not identify as such and that you were in fact administered a probable lie control question test.
Posted by: Jitters Posted on: Mar 3rd, 2004 at 2:03pm
I did not recognize any at all. The first question was what was my name, he even told me that was just to break the ice like the book said. After that every question asked I saw as disqualifying me. Almost all the questions were to the effect of "did you lie about...." anything pertaining to the pre-test interview such as drug use, moral character issues, etc. The only question I think could have been a control question was "have you ever done anything we did not talk about that would embarass yourself or the department?". But even that is questionable in my opinion, everyone may have second thoughts I guess. There was never a "other than what you told me" type question. I was so freakin nervous I thought I blew it, I found myself very uncomfortable through the first half of the questions but calming down as we went. This is the only reason I am worried I could have failed, they say nerves wont affect it but nerves affect your breathing, heart rate, and BP which are what this machine reports so how the hell wouldn't that affect it?? Maybe he saw me as sincere enough during our interview that he passed it off as nervousness. Hopefully!
Posted by: Kona Posted on: Mar 3rd, 2004 at 10:50am
Ok, I understand that you didn't use CM, but are you telling us that during your entire polygraph examination there were no control questions asked? Or are you saying that you didn't recognize any control questions?
Enquiring minds and all........
Kona
Posted by: Jitters Posted on: Mar 3rd, 2004 at 1:12am
I asked this in my other post but have gotten no replies so thought I would attract an answer with a lone thread instead. I had no post test interview, but I thought I blew the test. I was so nervous my heart was pounding out of my chest the first half of the questions both times! No CM's used, were no control questions anyway. He said all done, took me to another area to do a few more things and basically said "all set, good luck" shook my hand and I was off. I did not want to ask if I passed as to raise suspicion I had reason not to pass, lol. What do you think? I would say it means I passed, but this was my first time.