I recently took my poly for an agency, and everything was normal up until a certain point during the testing phase (this was my third poly).

During the first few rounds of questioning my examiner said that I was showing "good responses" so he was going to take "2 lbs" of cuff pressure off but during the first round of the second category of questions he went back to the "regular" pressure and the hand that the blood pressure cuff (usually left) began to almost seize up and involuntarily move due to how tight the cuff was on my arm and after each round my hand was a light purple hue due to how restricting it was. I've never had this happen to me during a poly before, but my examiner was adamant that it was the standard cuff pressure, so I pushed through the numbness/seizing that it was causing until the end of the testing.

After testing I assume that I showed a "significant response" to one of the questions because my examiner went with the post polygraph interview line, and they told me that one questions in particular was giving me "trouble". I was being honest and forthcoming during the entirety of the polygraph, but my examiner told me that because something was going on with my arm/hand, my chart in the second half of testing was "showing responses even when questions were not being asked" and that if he was in headquarters, he would consider me a fail because of this one question despite all the others being within parameters. He then proceeded to confront me with the question that I was having trouble with and I stuck to my guns because I had been honest the entire time.

When all things were said and done my examiner did not let me see the other members of the office to turn in additional documents and because of that I am unsure of the results but I do hope that they will let me test again.

Would you guys be willing to share your thoughts and any weird poly experiences that you may have had?

Charioce,

Based on your description it sounds like you underwent a relevant/irrelevant screening "test" administered by either the CIA or NSA. These agencies frequently bring applicants in for up to three polygraph sessions.

Based on your description, it seems likely to me that you did not pass. However, I cannot be certain about that. Sometimes job candidates who pass are left with the impression that they failed.

It is less common for a fourth polygraph session to be granted, but it sometimes happens. Let's hope for the best.

George W. Maschke wrote on Apr 18^th, 2022 at 8:16am:


Also, this was not my third polygraph for the same agency. This is my third polygraph that I have ever taken, and they have each been with a different agency.