EJohnson wrote on Nov 26
th, 2007 at 11:53pm:
Wrongo. Any test, be it a math test, or a psych test, whatever, is immutable----which means it is a snap shot of when you took the test, not a predicter of the future (necessarily.) The polygraph test is no exception---as they are seeking to see if you are honest now. Try taking a test you took as a senior in h.s. and see if you do as well, as that test too was a snap shot.
and you make my point for me.
The test(s) do very little to verify or predict anything. The purpose of an "honesty evaluation" in terms of pre-employment is, by nature, not to see if you ever have been dishonest, or even are currently being dishonest, although that is what they test. They are to evaluate two things:
1. Truthfulness in past behaviors
and from that,
2. to deduce the probability that one will be "honest" in the future.
Therefore, the snapshot is worthless.
Quote:Try taking a test you took as a senior in h.s. and see if you do as well, as that test too was a snap shot.
I may do worse, or I may do better. If the test is on, for example, a particular geometry theorem, I will do worse. If it is a test on World History or Government, I will do better. Again, the snapshot analogy is worthless.
The polygraph test, no matter its original intent, seems to have morphed into something quite different. Do a google search on "police department scandal", and you might come to the conclusion that it has done little or nothing to prevent patently dishonest people, and those with loose moral and ethical boundaries from entering the ranks and file of the departments, and all the way to senior command positions.
Me, all I want to do is be a cop. I think I can be a good one. I look at the polygraph as a hurdle to jump to "get in". I want to be prepared for it intellectually and emotionally prior to taking it. Not because I place great value in its ability to catch me in lies or truths. But because it is a part of the process to get where I want to be.
Sooooooo, just how has polygraph "morphed" into something other than an immutable test? It seems to be the same ol test to me. The only caveat to the immutable aspect is that there are some very habitual behaviors that research shows are very difficult for people to cease---such as;
1. Sexual pariphilias/ Sexual addictions
2. Opiate addictions
3. Chronic alcoholism
4. Spousal abuse/ hetero-battery
5. Chronic rage disorder
6. Kleptomania
Polygraph has proven to be very helpful in indicating these areas. Ask any police applicant examiner and they will be happy to tell you stories of obscenely il-fitted applicants trying to be lawman/law-women.
On an aside, I believe that like all other stressful positions, acute dynamic risk factors (potential bad behaviors) become exaserbated with the lifestyle of being a police officer. It seems that many bad cops became bad after some time in the field, and under both great domestic and professional strife. Crappy pay, crappy hours, crappy cases, crappy criminals---and constant pressure on the marriage and children to subdivide compassion and mindfulness. Come to think of it, who would want to be a cop anyway?
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LEO pre-emp polygraph, general questions (Read 24523 times)
