T.M. Cullen wrote on Oct 29
th, 2008 at 1:20am:
Quote:The last Question I have is should I use counter measures on irrelevant questions? or just the Control?....I apologize if that has been asked a million times I just want to make sure...
You employ CM on the CONTROL questions only! If and only if there are control questions. They compare your reaction to the control questions and relevant questions. If you react more to the control questions you pass.
DO NOT USE CMs ON IRRELEVANT QUESTIONS! That is, questions like ("Is your name...?" "Were you born in ...?"...etc.
Note: With some test formats, you don't need to use CMs. For example, in 2000 I took the polygraph at the NSA. They used a format in which there were NO CONTROL QUESTIONS. There were only relevant questions (4 counter intelligence questions), and then some filler questions ("Is your name...?", "Were you born in....?"). In that format, if you react (above a certain threshold) more on one RQ, versus the other RQs, you fail.
TC
Indeed, the NSA's standby polygraph technique is the Relevant/Irrelevant one. However, most law enforcement agencies use some variant of the Control Question Test to screen applicants. One of the most commonly used probable-lie control questions involves theft from an employer. If a law enforcement applicant admits to pilfering a pen or two when asked, "Did you ever take anything from an employer?" the question will be re-phrased, "Other than what you told me, did you ever take anything from an employer?" The question is
still a control question, and the examinee's denial is
still expected to be less than fully truthful. And an examinee using countermeasures would
still want to show a reaction to this question.
It should be borne in mind, however, that some agencies use a
relevant question about
major theft from an employer. For example, a relevant question
reportedly used by the LAPD is, "Have you stolen more than four hundred dollars in cash or property from an employer?" If a question about theft from an employer involves theft beyond a significant dollar threshold, it's safe to assume that it is a relevant question.