cesium_133 wrote on Jul 11^th, 2006 at 9:31am:


Cesium, as one who is always correcting others' spelling and grammar, I expected more of you  .  The apostrophe is only to be used when indicating possession or when used in a contraction.  Therefore, "CM's" as you used it in the above quote should just simply be CMs

Eos is right, Thomas- knowing the "test", knowing your interrogator, and outmaneuvering him on a mental level are the keys to passing.  That's knowing what you are up against, which is something you should know before any test.  Even the smartest people might have trouble with the SAT if they never read how the test was administered.

However, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to pass.  Know your CM's, know a CQ from an RQ from an IQ, and pick up on what kind of test you're being given (CQT probable lie or directed lie, R/I, etc).  You should do well if you follow George's advice.

Incidentally, you have to know how to play chess to do well, also... it's another mental strategy game.  However, as champion player Jose Capablanca once said:

"To play chess requires no intelligence at all..."

Thomas_Delacy wrote on Jul 11^th, 2006 at 8:30am:


Thomas_Delacy,

Intellect makes a difference when the time comes to sit in the chair. You have to be observant of the polygrapher and make a mental note of who you are dealing with (The older the more tricks they know).  Then you have to evaluate the machine and sensors your dealing with. If you detect only a 4 sensor exam, (BP, GSR, Pulse, Breathing), then your pretty much free to use limited physical countermeasures. But it is still a crap shoot as to whether  he will notice the spikes from these. As I stated in another thread. The less moving things the better. Mental Countermeasures are your best bet and are NOT detectable. They only take practice to implement. Remember this exam is a mental gun fight between you and the examiner. Bigger brains and training always win.  Good Luck !

Regards ...

Thomas- read the "Countermeasures" section in TLBTLD again.  Same advice as George gives.  It details all things about physical and mental (and behavioral too, which doesn't get enough play in here) CM's.  All 3 are important, all 3 can be used, but experience by the anti-poly side is tending to show that mental CM's are the most directly effective.  Certain positive, assertive behavioral CM's can predispose the interrogator to treat you better.

Your intelligence has nothing to do with a polygraph's results.  As George mentions in TLBTLD, if you can sit down, hold still, and understand and respond to questions in the English language with a "yes" or "no", you can handle the poly experience and are "of use" to the interrogator.

Your direct knowledge or memory of some event, or the lack of such memory, does affect results, of course.  If you stole a car while tripping on LSD and were in full-blown psychosis; crashed the car; walked home; and got up the next morning with no memory of the night before, you would answer "truthfully" on the poly if asked, "Did you steal that car?"  Another flaw in the system...

In regards to my first post.. overall intelligence also without CM's used just plain ignorance.  Sometimes its better not to think of anything before your poly date; so any thing that can effect how you y think for your  polytest will also be in form of ignorance, or forgetfullness, unless you certain dates givin to you on the start of the test.

After reading numerous posts, i have seen latly mental countermeasures are more effective and safer.. myy poly testing is coming up in a few days.. a few questions with mental counter measures.. how is it performed? what is the best way to perform it>?   

And a spiteful question . Does one's intelligence overall have an effect on how you employ countermeasures etc... ignorance can take place in this part as well! 8)