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Racial bias may well be a factor in polygraph "test" results. Some years ago, the Department of Defense Polygraph Institute (DoDPI) conducted a study which showed that innocent blacks failed the polygraph at nearly twice the rate of innocent whites: only 23.5% of innocent blacks passed, compared to 36.9% of innocent whites. (Note that for both groups, well over half of innocent persons "failed!") DoDPI covered up this study, but a copy survived. You can be downloaded here:
Your chances of passing or failing DEA's pre-employment polygraph will depend to some degree on the base rate of failure, which is unknown to me. The higher the base rate, the lower one's chances of passing. (FBI special agent applicants, the failure rate is on the order of 50%.)
Since you've ruled out using countermeasures, you might consider using the "complete honesty" approach outlined in Chapter 4 of The Lie Behind the Lie Detector. It is to be hoped that your polygrapher would correctly interpret your candor in explaining your understanding of polygraphy as an indication of your honesty in other matters.
Posted by: tarrantlee Posted on: Sep 24th, 2004 at 8:03pm
I'm a DEA candidate... and there is absolutely nothing special or competitive about me at all. I have a BA, about seven years of professional experience and I can do pull ups, sit ups, push ups, and I can run a little bit... I should pass my PT's... I'm not like the rest of you all with prior law enforcement or military background.
I've led an uneventful life -- never used drugs whatsoever... have been in the room while others have smoked... I've never done it.
But certain terms will provoke an emotional response from me -- If you say Al-Quadia, I get nervous... I'm not a terrorist.
If you say -- kiddie porn or Michael Jackson, I get nervous, I'm not a pedophile... but I have a small boy.
You say Southwest Airlines -- I get nervous, I hate flying...
Just being in the room with people who smoked weed... makes me FEEL GUILTY...
Psychologically, I don't think I'm suited to pass the poly and because I am an African American -- I FEEL like authorities already think I'm GUILTY.
I hate to say it -- you always feel like people think you're GUILTY of the stereotype of smokin' weed or engaging in unlawful activity... you constantly FEEL you are under more intense scrutiny and pressure as an African American male. FEELINGS are subjective and that seems to be what the poly is measuring -- how I FEEL!
I also reviewed my psyche test with the Dr. He seemed so stand-offish and unprofessional... he had no intention of making me feel at ease -- down-right adversarial.
I can't imagine the poly interrogation... I'm going to get bounced for sure according to what I read here... not because the MAN is keeping me down -- but because of the my inability to hide my FEELINGS and my perception that people already think I'm GUILTY.
I intend not to employ any counter measures -- what are my chances... two, slim and none?