wrote on May 30^th, 2004 at 6:22pm:

Pillpopper, What you are describing makes perfect sense.  I have read through some polygraph literature (can't direct to exactly which publications, don't remember) that describe the machine as recording reactions to questions not based on truth vs deception but rather the level of THREAT the question poses to you. Assuming you don't know the difference between relevant and control questions and you are not lying on the relevant questions, the examiner expects you to be more threatened by the controls. Once you know the difference, however, the relevant questions will always be more of a threat to you simply because you know these are the questions you should not respond to.  This is really true by default - whether you are lying or not doesn't seem to matter too much at this point.  Worrying about not responding only causes you to respond... and fail. This is my theory - this is also why the polygraph is lame.  Sorry to hear about everyone's trouble - I've experienced the same things for the same reasons.  Good luck.

Annie and PP,

You are both on target. Matte (one of the best known polygraph authors) even goes so far in Forensic Psychophysiology Using The Polygraph as to say he found that when an examinee couldn't be manipulated into a control question denial he would still score the exam the same.

Matte:

Quote:

In those rare instances when the examinee insists on furnishing an affirmative answer to control  question #23, the examinee’s affirmative answer is accepted and has been found by this author to still be an effective control question.

Presumably, the examinee's non-lie doesn't negate the threat value of the control question.

-Marty