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Posted by George W. Maschke
 - Sep 11, 2005, 08:58 PM
Quote from: traveler on Sep 11, 2005, 07:19 PMThat's not what I meant.  Sorry.  

Why would CM's have any effect on a control question and not effect the relative question?  Isn't it the relative question that could pose a problem to the exam taker?

Countermeasures should not be applied while answering the relevant questions.
Posted by traveler
 - Sep 11, 2005, 07:19 PM
That's not what I meant.  Sorry.  

Why would CM's have any effect on a control question and not effect the relative question?  Isn't it the relative question that could pose a problem to the exam taker?
Posted by George W. Maschke
 - Sep 11, 2005, 07:04 PM
Quote from: traveler on Sep 11, 2005, 06:58 PMSo the machine detects transgressions, not lies, correct?  

It detects neither.
Posted by traveler
 - Sep 11, 2005, 06:58 PM
So the machine detects transgressions, not lies, correct?  
Posted by George W. Maschke
 - Sep 11, 2005, 06:44 PM
As we note at p. 98 of the 4th edition of TLBTLD, when minor admissions are made to "control" questions, the polygrapher will move to exclude them:

Quote"Control" questions tend to be broad and sweeping, spanning a long period of time. Common "control" questions include:

• Have you ever lied to a loved one?
• Have you ever taken something that does not belong to you?"
• Since the age of 18, have you ever considered hitting someone in anger?

Since most everyone can answer "yes" to all of these questions, the typical examinee will admit to one or two minor transgressions.The polygrapher will then move to contain these admissions, in order to leave you with the uneasy feeling that you haven't told all. The polygrapher accomplishes this by trying to convince you that any further admissions on these questions will call your character and integrity into question, and that you would end up failing the "test" before it even begins.

Following limited admissions, the "control" questions often end up structured as, "Other than what you told me, have you ever lied to a loved one?" The theory is that when you answer the question "no," you must still be withholding something, or at least feel uneasy about not remembering some incident from long ago. The polygrapher treats your response to this question as though it were a lie.
Posted by traveler
 - Sep 11, 2005, 06:27 PM
Thank you.  I have read and re-read ch 3 and for some reason am just not quite understanding it.  I think it's becuase I would think that I am misunderstanding what the machine will detect.  Meaning, why would it detect an honest answer?  2) Have you ever told a lie?  We all have, therefore it would be Yes and we would employ CM's.  But why do they need to be employed if it's an honest answer?
Posted by George W. Maschke
 - Sep 11, 2005, 06:07 PM
The first question (Is your name _______?) is not a "control" question. Rather, it is an irrelevant question, and one would not employ countermeasures when answering it. For an explanation of polygraph question types, see Chapter 3 of The Lie Behind the Lie Detector.
Posted by traveler
 - Sep 11, 2005, 06:02 PM
I've seen different types of questions being labeled as 'control'.  1)  Is your name ____ ____.  2)  Have you ever told a lie.  Those seem to be two different types of questions to me, but apparently, they are not.  So, on both these questions we are to illicit CM's, correct?

Wouldn't a lie produce different breating, elevated blood pressure, sweating?  So then why are we to illicit CM's on a truthful question that should not produce any elevated conditions?

I hope I've explained my two questions clearly and some of you can let me know where my confusion lies.