I agree with your overall point.  Your experience was very close to my experiences, although I was never called back for any follow ups.   

I still say examiner bias is the biggest factor in determining whether or not the person passes.  They might have gone through that follow up charade just to see how you'd react.

Thanks very much, none. Very interesting.

Shortly after becoming a polygraph examiner in 2004, I was told of an LE pre-employment test format, used in Canada, that consisted essentially of relevant questions. 

Such an approach was antithetical to my Backster training, thus I had no desire to learn more about it.

For sure, I have never seen any such approach espoused by the American Polygraph Association, of which I have been a member for over 16 years. The only thing that even comes close is the antiquated R/I method, which has enjoyed a resurgence of sorts.

Perhaps some other duly qualified "forensic psycho-physiologists" will chime in. Many of them monitor this board religiously.

Dan, there were variations of "do you intend to tell the truth" and "are you being honest", but the other questions were all about specific topics.

There were no general questions like "have you ever stolen anything" or "have you ever told a lie". After the test I read the pdf and watched all of Douglas Williams' videos on youtube. I have a very good understanding of the concept of control questions, and actually I had a good understanding even before the test. 

There were definitely no control questions as defined in the pdf and the videos I watched. There was just the one math question, which was trivial. I don't know... maybe it was trivial to me...? I'm pretty good at advanced math, and doing an addition and a multiplication in my head is not challenging at all. Maybe this played a role... But then, there should be a few control questions, not just one.

I don't know... I passed somehow, but I know that if I ever have to do it again, I'll read the pdf and practice beforehand. I really, sincerely have nothing to hide, but now I do fear the polygraph.

none, I wonder if you mistook the comparison questions for relevant ones. Here's an example: "Have you ever done anything you could have been arrested for?"

I don't remember the questions, it was few months ago. They were out of the application questionnaire, the typical have you ever done this, have you ever done that. Nothing special.

Kindly list the questions for us.

I'll start off by saying I passed, but it was strange. I am certain there were no white lie questions and no control questions. Actually, one control question, but it was ridiculously easy; an addition and multiplication. Nothing else!

Before taking the test I knew nothing about the poly. I watched a couple of youtube videos before and that was it. I understand the concept, it's really not rocket science. I didn't know about this site and the book, and I had absolutely nothing to hide. Actually, I was worried that my truly spotless record won't be believed...

I'm and one of the aproximately 20-30% of patients who has white coat syndrom - my blood pressure spikes significantly when at the doctor. (I was on a 24  hour monitor to confirm that my BP is fine otherwise, and I check it daily at home with my own BP monitor, which is also compared against the doctor's monitor).

Anyway... I started thinking, "what if my clean record is suspicioius, who hasn't done anytime anything stupid?". Well... I haven't... but isn't that a little strange? At least from their perspective? I don't know... those were the kind of questions running through my head and I was getting increasingly worried. 

So... the test starts, and I'm waiting for the control questions. Not to maninpulate them, I didn't know that was a thing, but I was expecting them. It was the one arithmetic question, which required hardly any brain power. Then it was a question "is today Friday?", and that was it! All othere questions were clearly relevant. 

We went through the questions three times, then again answering in a low voice, then again answering in my mind. This went on for quite some time, so I must say my mind started wandering between the questions. Then I would think "wow, I have to focus, this is important!", then I would day dream again, and so on. I couldn't help it...

When we were done, I was told to wait for a few minutes. I was called back in and said that there is something related to/around vehicle theft. Huh??? I have never stolen $1, let alone a car. This was so weird, I didn't even know what to say. It was ridiculous. Not only did I never steal a car, nobody I knew ever did anything like that, I didn't ride in a stolen car, I didn't hang out with people who would do anything like that.

It went back and forth for a while, asking me to think hard about the past and admit. I did think hard, I was starting the believe that maybe there was something in my past... but there really wasn't anything new I could volunteer. I was starting to get annoyed and started not to care anymore. Eventually he stopped, we shook hands and I left. (I must say the operator was polite at all times)

After I got home I started researching poly tests and I got to this site and I read the book. I was certain that I failed the test, but it turns out I didn't. I've been accepted and am waiting for a start date.

Bottom line, this whole thing is a scam. In my case I had a plan B, and I wasn't very worried if the agency didn't accept me. However, if you really want a certain job, or if your current job and income depend on the poly... that's a tough one. You have my sympathy, and my anger. It can't be that any significant decision is based on such a primitive concept. 

People are complicated creatures with a myriad of various physiological reactions, for all sorts of reasons. You can't put them all in one tiny, little box, as if they were machines created on an assembly line. 

My advice to anyone, especially if you know you are a somewhat more emotive person, would be to read the book and get real good at beating the poly. Your life is too important to leave anything to chance; and that's what you're doing with the poly - flipping a coin.


P.S. I still wonder about the lack of control questions...