I took the polygraph yesterday and it was a very stressful experience. I followed all the recomendations in the lie behind the lie detector. Arrived early, dressed in a suite, read a mag in the lobby, polite. 

After filling out the questionaire and chatting a bit with the examiner the test started. Directed lie stim test, pick a number, that kind of thing. 

Then the questions. It was a combo test, directed/probable lie controls. He also had me answer a math question at the end of each test with the result always being the same but the question being different; 13x6=78, 6+7x6=78. Any thoughts on what this was about.

He went through the test 3 times then stopped and asked what question bothered my the most. I of course said one of the control questions bothered me, and he replied, what question bothered you the most after that one, so I said one of the relevant questions that I wasn't worried about bothered me. I gave him some BS about why it bothered me and after hammering me about that question he started the final test. 

After the final test he asked if anybody told me how to screw with the test and I said no. He said all these degrees and certificates on the wall don't mean nothing and he suspected from the begining that I was trying to manipulate the test. Of course I said I have no idea what your talking about. He told me he would have to have another examiner look at the test to see what he thinks.

I of course made no admisions to the questions or to the use of countermeasures so I don't think the test will come back as DI. I think the best I can hope for is an inconclusive result.

Rail wrote on Apr 30^th, 2009 at 5:47pm:


A very insightful comment, Rail. The best you can hope for is most likely an inconclusive result.  Did you use countermeasures, and if so which relevant questions did you lie about? Oh, so you didn't lie to any of the relevant questions? Then, assuming that you followed TLBTLD's advice, it appears that you screwed yourself.  If you used countermeasures, it appears that the examiner caught you, despite no admissions on your part. If you didn't use countermeasures, perhaps it is that examiner's M.O. to routinely go on a fishing expedition following every exam, which I, as an experienced polygraph examiner, never need or desire to do if an examinee passed the exam. The polygraph examiner's comment that he will have another examiner look at the exam is probably a death sentence for you, since the examiner didn't like what he saw, confronted you about it, and will undoubtedly bring it to the attention of "quality control," who will almost certainly be confirmative. Your only hope is that the examiner gave you the benefit of the doubt, and therefore an "inconclusive" on the exam, but I wouldn't bet on it.

Whatever happened, you took faulty advice from self-portrayed "experts" on this website. They have no practical experience conducting polygraph exams, and most of them have failed a polygraph. They cite second-hand, unsupportable rhetoric as if they know what they are talking about, and you appear to be a possible victim.  A good lesson for other readers.

And your credentials for making claims about polygraph are . . . 

That's right, you have none.  You've failed three our of four polygraph exams, and yet we're supposed to believe that was a failure of the polygraph process.  You also have absolutely no experience conducting polygraph exams, yet here you are posing as something who knows what he's talking about.

Only on a forum like this with a few like-minded polygraph failures can you pose as an "expert" on the polygraph process, Mr. Cullen. Anywhere else you'd be laughed off the stage.  Well, I can laugh at you even on this one.    

The "you are not an expert so your opinion is invalid" is merely an ad hominem attack.   

It is often best to ignore such posts, as they tend to lack substance and in debates are considered an admission that the poster has nothing intelligent with which to respond.

Perhaps when a little arrogance is warranted. Unlike the two of you, Sergeant and Cullen, who speak arrogantly as though you have any practical knowledge at all about the polygraph.  Go ahead and mock those with actual experience, but you look like fools because you have none of your own.

"Ad hominem."  Oh, yes, I've read those unoriginal words many times on this forum.  "Ad hominem" seems to be as much of a catch phrase among the ignorant on this forum as the word "pseudoscience." Come up with at least an orginal thought about the subject of polygraph rather than simply parroting George.  His only experience with the polygraph was failing ALL of the relevant questions on his FBI exam, and now he's invested so much of his time and life in this comical little forum that he can't just move on.  Sad, really, but funny sad.

No one here in the "anti-" crowd has any experience whatsoever, yet you've each failed a polygraph exam and expect others to believe it's the process and not you that is the problem. 

Don't worry, boys.  You'll get the last word because you don't know when to admit your ignorance and go away.  I will of course tire of this forum as I have before.  I come around every now and then to ruffle your feathers and laugh at you, and then I find other entertainment.  I haven't met any "anti-" person on this board who has any business at all talking about the polygraph, and I don't expect that to change.

Cullen, you sound about as confident as a canary who sings after the cat leaves the room. I know you pretenders are much happier when people with actual experience go away and leave you to your mutual admiration society with no one to address but future polygraph examinees naive enough to come on this website for the first time and address you as experts.

You still haven't answered my question about why you post under two different variations of the same name. I assume that you do that so you won't look as foolish when you write to me as a "new user" as you do when you write to me as an "especially senior user?"

Oh, and it's simply hilarious how you ended your post with the word "pseudo-science."   There's not an original or experienced thought about polygraph in your head, is there?  

Dear Rail,

Welcome to the roller coaster ride known as the "polygraph."  No rhyme or reason to the outcome, just the roll of the dice.  Some "operators" will state that you were "failed" because you were tested by a "finger painter" not an "artist".  Sleep has nothing to do with it, being calm has nothing to do with it (many "operators" know that you have to be "not calm" in order to respond and prove your "innocence").  If you are "relaxed" during the test, most "operators" would end the exam as inconclusive or deceptive due to "countermeasure".

As an applicant, it truly is easier and less stressful to just roll the dice and pick four numbers out of the twelve possible to find out if you "pass" the test.

Regards.