Quote:A.S.
You write:
An examinee does not simultaneously face both circumstances (most unusual if such were the case) in the setting of a given polygraph examination, and he is not faced with such a judgment, i.e., choosing the greater of the two perils. He will face one or the other (or some modification thereof) depending on whether taking a specific- incident criminal exam or an applicant/employee-screening exam. The dynamic of such will likely make this the issue of the greatest immediate interest and threat and here lies the rub. This is the case for both deceptive and non-deceptive examinees (i.e., the threat of jail time or non-employment is a threat for both), far outweighs the threat associated with the relatively obvious control material and associated consequences in a PLCQT exam, is the crux of the theoretical flaw of such testing in both applications, and will undoubtedly lead to false positive outcomes for both.
Drew, you obviously misunderstood my post. I pointed out the obvious difference between facing jail and having to look for another job in
acknowledgment of PG111's argument.
Now, while many less knowledgable people have a difficult time believing that an innocent examinee can respond with greater strength to the comparison questions than to the relevant questions, this simply is not the case. In fact, the Office of Technological Assessment (OTA) of the United States Congress reviewed and evaluated the available research on the validity of CQT testing in the field and found that the response magnitudes to relevant and comparison questions actually
do distinguish between guilty and innocent examinees. (Saxe, L. (1983)
Scientific Validity of Polygraph Testing: A Research Review and Evaluation. A technical memorandum, Washington DC.: U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, OTA-TM-H-15, November 1983.) But of course, unlike you, Drew, I don't rely only on studies in obscure journals to support my knowledge; I've actually "been there and done that."
Don't assume things, Drew. I'd be surprised if you had any more real world experience than George, so if you're going to regurgitate tired rhetoric, at least be sure of the facts first.