continued... Section III, "Pre-Test Paperwork," Dean discusses the pre-test questionnaires that some agencies require be filled out prior to a polygraph interrogation. One interesting tip she provides is this:
Quote:
One little piece of information that's not generally known to applicants: the time you spend on the paperwork may be reported to the department. If you take too long it might cast doubt on your reading ability and/or intelligence. If you go too fast, it might appear as if you didn't really read the questions or weren't taking the test seriously. Since each examiner uses their own form I can't tell you how much time to spend on each one. I use a 10 page, 300 yes/no question form. Most applicants complete the form in 30-45 minutes.
Section IV, "Interview" discusses the pre-test interview phase of the polygraph interrogation. Dean warns against attempts to ingratiate oneself with the polygrapher, or to "try to use humor to get through the test." She urges the reader to be sure to accurately complete their "Personal History Statement," noting, "It has been my experience that 90% of applicant's [sic] PHS's [sic] or other background forms contain errors or omissions."
Subsections to Section IV discuss how to respond to questions, emphasizing the importance of providing specific rather than general answers, for example:
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If asked "when was the last time you used marijuana?"
DON'T respond: Yes I've used marijuana.
DO respond: I last used marijuana in 6/85, just prior to graduating from high school.
In a subsection on semantics, Dean advises:
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Often applicants give me tentative answers, beginning "I don't know if this counts but..." A good rule of thumb is: IF YOU THINK OF IT, IT COUNTS!
Here, Dean fails to warn readers about the dangers of "spilling one's guts" to one's polygrapher during the pre-test interview. As noted in
The Lie Behind the Lie Detector, admissions made during the pre-test phase may be spun out of all proportion if the polygrapher later thinks he/she sees signs of deception in the charts.
Section 22 [sic], "The Test" notes in subsection 1:
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The examiner must ask questions in certain areas but the exact phrasing of the questions can be customized. For instance, the examiner must ask a test question concerning theft from an employer. The exact questions could include: "have you EVER stolen anything from a place where you worked?", "besides pens and pencils, have you stolen anything from a place where you worked?", or "within the past five years have you stolen anything from a place where you worked?"
Dean has just described a commonly used "control" question. (She is incorrect, however, in stating that the examiner "must" ask a question about theft from an employer. Other "control" questions may be used instead.) Moreover, Dean fails to warn the reader that his/her answer to this question is expected to be untrue, even
after any admissions have been made.
In subsection C., "Nervousness," Dean writes:
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It is normal to be nervous or apprehensive during a polygraph examination, even if you have nothing to hide. Although nervousness can show up on the test, it looks completely different than a lie reaction. Nervousness is a more consistent, long lasting feeling while a lie reaction is a sudden (1-3 second) "spike" when a particular question is asked. I always tell my applicants that they can be nervous throughout the entire process and still "pass".
Dean might honestly believe the above nonsense, but she is dead wrong. There is no such thing as a "lie reaction" which can be distinguished from a "nervous reaction." If your heart races, your palmar perspiration rate increases, or your breathing becomes erratic after you truthfully but nervously answer an accusatory relevant question, you run a strong risk of becoming a false positive.
Dean's next suggestion in this subsection is quite right, however:
Quote:
DO NOT try to "relax" during the test by changing your breathing (taking slow, deep, even breaths) or thinking pleasant thoughts. These methods show up on the test very similar to countermeasures and can be misinterpreted and reported as such.
As noted in
The Lie Behind the Lie Detector, polygraphers tend to interpret slow, deep breathing as an attempt at polygraph countermeasures.
continued in following post...
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