First I want to thank George for this site, I have learned a lot from it since I took my second polygraph test, and thank you George for answering my e-mail. Past one with flying colors and one took 3 days to score????

My question is:
Has anybody encountered  or heard of where the polygrapher directs the person taking the polygraph to answer by saying the last word of the question and than the answer?  
Example:  Polygrapher:  Are the lights on in this room?
                Testee answer: room, yes

or was this something this polygrapher thought up to trip an honest person up.

Thanks again to all the fokes that have made this site what it is.

Teag,

I have heard of Federal Agency polygraphers (such as FBI) using such tactics.  It was normally not during the original polygraph but a follow up polygraph.  I do not know why they would choose to use such questions or what they hoped to accomplish. It certainly does not meet any known type of test criteria.

I hope it is not the polygraph countermeasure "countermeasure".  The whole process is confusing as it is let alone playing one more mind game on top of the existing mindgames.  Certainly hard to prove the new type of questioning to be scientific.

Regards.

Teag,

I have also heard of this questioning technique, though I do not know what the rationale for it is. James Allan Matte mentions it at p. 53 of Forensic Psychophysiology Using the Polygraph:


Quote:

In 1985, Douglas L. Grimsley and William J. Yankee completed a research project for the Department of Defense in which the examinee answered with the last word in the question, then said “no.” The research, performed jointly by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and the A. Madley Corporation, involved mock screening examinations with the relevant/irrelevant technique. Use of the Mode of Answer increased the accuracy. Accordingly, the A. Madley polygraph school began to teach the method to students, and there are probably a number of FP’s who are using the method in the field. (Ansley 1992)

my guess would be to prevent people from using a sort of CM where you block out the question from your mind or think of something else. by repeating the last word, it forces you to listen and focus your mind on the question.