To the best of my knowledge, yes, the NSA continues to use the relevant/irrelevant "test" as its primary polygraph screening technique.

If you do not understand the suggested countermeasure approach to the R/I technique, then do not attempt it. In any event, the behavioral countermeasures outlined in Chapter 4 of The Lie Behind the Lie Detector may well be of greater assistance.

[You can prevent such a pattern from occurring by simply producing responses to two differing groups of two relevant questions within the different chart presentation  

[/quote]

I guess I am a total idiot, but is there anyone out there than can explain the above statement regarding the R/I poly given at NSA?  I really searched this forum all day yesterday trying to find the answer so I wouldn't have to repost already responded-to information but there is nothing there (that I can find) that breaks this down for me.

Said relative is going to be going for 3rd poly and should have read TLBTLD previous to this, understood, but I think learned the lesson in not doing so!  

Can ANYONE (but I'd love to hear from anyone who took the NSA poly recently - like in 2008-09) just tell me to what specific type of questions (control, relevant, or irrelevant) is one supposed to use countermeasures on an Relevant/Irrelevant test

If I know the answer to that, then I think s/he has a shot!

THANKS FOR ANY HELP!

George W. Maschke wrote on Sep 30^th, 2009 at 3:31am:


Yes, I see that.

you're telling me what I already know - what I really want from you is how to use countermeasures on a R/I polygraph. You have explainations in your pdf about all the other tests, except this one.  And unfortunately NSA uses this one.

So..... can you (or anyone) answer this question  --

If one produces stronger responses to the stim test in the R/I test and to the control questions . . .. rather than the RELEVANT questions. . . will one "pass" the polygraph?

The quote I had above about "producing different responses to two relevant charts. . ." or something along those lines  is  what is damn confusing to me!!!    That is the only line I can find in your whole pdf about how to beat a R/I poly ------  and then you told me if you're unsure about it, don't use countermeasures!  THAT IS NOT VERY HELPFUL GEORGE!!  (I'm not shouting, I'm very frustrated!)

From what I hear from said relative, they do a directed-lie portion during the pre test so I figure is s/he produces stronger responses during THAT portion of the test - the relevant questions will not appear as strong during the in-test phase.

IS THIS ASSUMPTION CORRECT??

George W. Maschke wrote on Oct 1^st, 2009 at 4:29am:


Alright George, 
I'm going to try to understand this one last time - So let me see if I have understood this. . .   please tell me if I'm right or wrong. 

In order to counter a R/I test, one must make strong responses to TWO different sets of relevant questions in two different charts

(.i.e, respond strongly - using measures to 2 different types of relevant questions -  say using drugs and espignoage in one chart. . .and falsifying background info and stealing from work in another chart).

Is this it in a nutshell?

Thanks for any response.

yay! Thanks for responding.  I may PM you after I sit on this over the weekend to see how I personally would approach using counters on an R/I test if I were the one taking it. . . . thanks so much.

My other thought was for said relative just to use counters on EVERY relevant question - think that it's a billion to one chance than ANYONE could be a drug dealer, spy, thief, or forger all-in-one.  But then I thought that might tip off the polygrapher as to countermeasures being used. . .