The reaction to a control question is of dire importance to an examiner.  Your reactions to relevant questions are compared to control questions.  If the reaction to relevant questions are greater than the reaction to control questions you are considered deceptive.

The order of the questions will likely by mixed up over 3 or more charts.  This ensures that one relevant question is not compared to one particular control question.

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Yeah...but what confuse me is, if the control question is:
"Are you a truly trustworthy person?"

The truth is YES. (I consider myself trustworthy) if I produce a stronger reaction using a CM that will mean 
that I'm telling a lie...!!! when is NOT. But according to the book; "control" questions are not scored...so I guess the answer to that question is not really important to the examiner...is that correct...???? Only the relevants questions are the ones scored.

Irishgeek wrote on May 16^th, 2006 at 5:18pm:


Whether you consider your answer to a "control" question to be true or false is completely irrelevant. You should provide the expected answer. If the control question is, "Did you ever lie to someone in a position of authority?" you answer "no." If the control question is, "Are you a truly trustworthy person?" you answer "yes."

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The key to passing -- apart from not making any substantive admissions -- is to show stronger reactions to the control questions than to the relevant questions. For this reason, you want to produce reactions to the control questions. Again, whether you believe your answer to the control question to be true or false is completely irrelevant.

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I have been reading the book but I'm confuse about something:

Do you lie or answer with the truth in the "control" questions while using a CM...?

Even if I answer with the truth, do I need to increase my reaction with a CM to make the chart look like a lie in that control question..?    ???

syncmaster193t wrote on May 15^th, 2006 at 10:43pm:


The purpose of doing mental arithmetic isn't to solve equations, it's to produce reactions. Ideally the problem you choose should be one you won't be able to solve before the asking of the next question.

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Mental countermeasures are likely to produce an accompanying breathing reaction without your having to think about it.

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I leave that to you. One thing to avoid is using the same breathing reaction for precisely the same duration on each control question. It would be better to show some variation in duration, size, and perhaps even reaction type.

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Did you read The Lie Behind the Lie Detector? Breathing in and holding is to be absolutely avoided.

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Failing one question means failing the entire "test." So it is best to show a reaction to every control question that you clearly recognize as such. That said, it wouldn't hurt to show some variation in your reactions.

Thank you very much for your kind help

OK. So no anal sphincter to be used.

I guess trying to perform a long mathematical calculation quickly would be better. However - what if due to the stress of the polygraph - I will not be able to perform math calculations? is just the fact that I am trying to perform it enough to increase my heart rate?

Also, would you consider combining the above with a breathing apnea technique?

It seems almost impossible to combine the two together since both need concentration.

Would you recommend trying the math technique in control question #1 and the breathing apnea in control question #2 but not combined - since this would be easier to carry out... or would the separate use of two different techniques cause more suspicion? 

Also which breating apnea is better?  since I saw two different apnea techniques - one calls for holding the breath immediately after you inhaled and one calls for holding your breath after you exhale.

Do you think that reacting to all control questions in a similar manner is appropriate or should I not react to some and react to others? my logic tells me that a normal person would not react strongly to all control questions - but only to a few of them and that's what the examiner would expect.

Thank you so much for helpin.

syncmaster193t wrote on May 15^th, 2006 at 10:03pm:


Yes. It would be prudent to choose an alternative countermeasure technique.

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He won't bother trying to figure out which it is. Any reaction on the sensor pad channel timely with the "control" questions will be interpreted as an indication of countermeasure use.

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I don't know. But I doubt it commonly occurs to any great degree in the context of a typical polygraph examination.

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No. It might help detect other things, too, such as pressing one's toes to the floor, or pressing one's free arm down on the armrest, or flexing the leg muscles.

As noted in Chapter 4 of The Lie Behind the Lie Detector, we no longer recommend the anal sphincter contraction as a countermeasure. Many somehow are under the impression that this is the preferred technique. However, I have seen no evidence to support this belief. Given that sensor pads are increasingly in use, and that it's plausible they might be able to detect the anal sphincter contraction, it makes sense to choose a different countermeasure strategy.

I have a polygraph session tomorrow and I am now very capable of knowing which question is a control question however:

I know for sure that there is a cushion on the chair - so does this preclude me from "puckering up" immediately after the control question?

As far as I understand - a person may naturally pucker up if stressed, so assuming the examiner determines that you have just contracted your anal sphincter following the control question - how can he know if this is a normal reaction to a probable lie question (which he assumes you have lied in response) or a countermeasure?

Isn't the contraction of the anal sphincter a normal reaction to stress?

Is the cushion there just to detect anal sphincter contraction?