First I would like to say I have a really boring background and have nothing to hide. I plan to be 100% honest about my entire background. 

After reading SO many people fail the poly and having the PD tell us 99.9% either fail the POLY or PSYCH my question is:

Should I think ahead of reasons why I may react to a certain question? I have googled and found quite a few questions I believe may be asked. Should I go ahead and think of a good reason as to why I may react? If I have a slight reaction, is the examiner simply looking for a valid REASON? 

I really appreciate everyones help! 

Thanks

Anonymous,

Stop thinking so much about the test.  This is what they want.  They want you  to be all pensive, and fearful of the test.

All you need to know is that the polygraph machine DOES NOT MEASURE DECEPTION!  It measures you're level of ANXIETY or DEFENSIVENESS about the questions.  The more you THINK (like you are doing now!) about the questions, the more anxious and defensive you will be.  Replace these thoughts!  Every time you find yourself having these thoughts, yell "STOP!".  Then go through the following mental exercise:

Visualize the polygraph machine as a cardboard box with the words "magic box" stenciled on it, and an old 60's style TV antenna stuck on the top of it.   The examiner, who has just escaped from a mental hostpital,  has informed you that this machine has "magic" powers.  It can tell whether you are lying and where skirt lengths will be in the next decade.  Also, it can detect all the "naughty" thoughts you've ever had.   

Naturally, you find this absurd and even comical.  But you don't want to offend the examiner by laughing in his face, so you "play along" with him.  You pretend to take him seriously, much like you would a young child playing "make believe".   

You know there is no way he can tell whether you are telling the truth or not with this idiotic contraption.  You have no fear whatsoever, and are actually amused.  You are totally RELIEVED, though.  You laugh at yourself for ever being afraid, or worrying about the test.   

You know you have done nothing.  Heck, you have about the most  boring background a person could have.  The examiner tells you that his silly cardboard box with the TV antenna on top is telling him you are being deceptive when answering the question "Have you ever committed a crime, or thought of committing a crime.", you CLEARLY SEE HOW RIDICULOUS that is!  You confidently, and convincingly answer "no" several times, and the examiner drops it.

The test ends and you get the job.

End of exercise

anonymous000 wrote on May 2^nd, 2008 at 10:54pm:


It would indeed be a good thing to have a pre-planned, innocuous explanation for any reactions to relevant questions of which you may be accused and asked for an explanation. See the section "To Explain or Not to Explain Responses to Relevant Questions" beginning at p. 151 of the 4th edition of The Lie Behind the Lie Detector.

As for your list of every stupid thing you've done, it would be yet another stupid thing to provide it to your polygrapher. Your duty as a law enforcement applicant is to answer the relevant questions truthfully. You're secretly expected to be less than fully candid when answering the so-called "control" questions, as explained in Chapter 3 of The Lie Behind the Lie Detector. Perversely, the more honestly you answer these questions, and as a result feel less anxiety when answering them, the more likely you are to wrongly fail the polygraph.

Quote:


This is what polygraphers, used car salesmen...etc. do.  They are  real nice.  Tell people what a "pleasure" it will be to work with them.   All in an attempt to get the person to trust them and "drop their guard".  When they should be doing just the opposite!

When will people wise up?

TC

Sergeant1107 wrote on May 3^rd, 2008 at 9:22am:


Sarge,  you wrote, " was honest and I didn't have anything in my past and I failed three out of four."

Perhaps you fall into the category of those who minimize, rationalize and avoid responsibility for your actions or statements because YOU think the information was not important enough to disclose; then got caught!  Or maybe, you were a "false positive."  But, three out of four tests being wrong?  In my profession, and numerically speaking, that probability is minimal.  

Of course, your buddies here have established the convenient excuse that there is no way to prove the so-called negative, so ground truth can never really be known.  I get it.    

What makes me confident enough to dispense such advice is the fact I do this every day.  I haven't had (supposedly) a bad experiences that somehow (in my own mind and through validation by other "victims") qualify me to talk about it.  I didn't just read a book which justifies my behavior in attacking a well established profession.  I do it!  You had four tests?  I gave more than that last week.  Ask anyone I test and most will say that I am fair, direct and professional.

To your statements.  I believe the "only requirement" for passing a polygraph is to tell the truth and follow instructions.  No, I do not think every single person on this board is lying, but I think most are in fact rationalizing, minimizing, avoiding responsibility for some action they assumed would have no impact on their test and when it did, claim unfairness and innaccuracy.

The research establishes there are false positives, as there are false negatives (as recently discussed).  I'm simply saying that it is a viable manner to establish honesty and it is the only manner in which we have to do so.  Some of you were "victims."  OK, I believe you think you were.  That makes you, for a lack of better terminology, collateral damage.  And, while it does effect you, it does not effect the entire profession and certainly does not mean the baby should be thrown out with the dirty water...

Sackett

okay so bringing a list of 15-20 stupid things i've done / taken / lied about is not a good idea? 

I will use no counter measures, i will be 100% honest and if i fail, i guess the police department didn't need me after all. My background investigation would likely put any BI to sleep. I plan to tell the examiner things ive never mentioned to anyone in my life. 

I guess we will see. Generally i am a very calm person. Hopefully I won't be collateral damage, as i really would enjoy a new career in law enforcement.

"notguilty1",

no-one in the polygraph community refutes the presence of false results, so please don't act so suprised.  I'm simply suggesting that not everyone who fails is a false positive, as suggested by this board.

Now let me ask you a question.  You were suspected of stealing a gun.  You are correct, you either did or didn't do it.  But, what would your expected results be if you knew or believed you knew who really did take it and failed to tell the examiner (for whatever reason) before the test?  Would you pass the test regarding stealing it?

Sackett

Sackett.... any comment on my last post?