Quote from: EJohnson on Jan 11, 2008, 03:51 PMFact is, your labels indicate that you know 2 things about polygraph. Jack and Shit, and Jack left town.
QuoteThe problem with any discussion with you is your interpretation of people's motives regarding their posts. For example, you say that I am "hellbent" on eliminating applicant screening.
QuoteSecondly, I am free to state my opinion of polygraphy when I so choose. I have used the term sham, and fraud, because I believe it is. I have never used the other terms, (well maybe BS, but I don't remember). Again, you exaggerate my posts, which then distracts from the original question.
QuoteAs far as pseudoscience, I can see no other label that fits more appropriately.I am beginning to think that you sir, cannot "see" anything. Google "Inductive Reasoning."
QuoteThe studies that I have read did not possess sufficient controls to pass scientific scrutiny.
Quotebelieve the National Academy of Science likely has a pretty good handle on scientific procedure. Additionally, "pseudo" means in the common usage, "false" or "pretend". Thus, if a non scientific discipline passes itself off as scientific, then that discipline would be correctly identified as "pseudoscience". Until the poly community can either show it's procedures are "scientific" or quits referring to their procedures as scientific, then the term pseudoscience applies, and I for one will NOT voluntarily cease using the term when it aptly applies.The NAS was both encouraging and critical of polygraph. You focus on only the negative (it seems)---whereas most thoughtful examiners take the good with the bad. Hasn't there been some 10 peer-reviewed studies published since that NAS 5 year old study? Apparently the scientific community and the field of polygraph has made up and kissed since then. I and others were willing to cease refering to you as an investigative obstructionist (criminal)---even though the definition is technically true, regardless of what your personal opinion is----but the world is gray, not black and white. Meaningful dialogue begins when you stop "begging the Point/Question"---a debate tactic that puts meaningful discussion into a wheelspin. Google" Begging the point"---it is a passive aggressive tactic used by folks who can't progress mentally past the stage of "stick in the mud." Polygraph isn't pseudoscience any more than any other psychological test which has scoring details not readily available to the public. Try getting the answers to the MMPIand the scoring software, or try geting the precise applicational guidelines for administering a Rorschack (sp?) ink blot test from the proifessionals who administer them. There is no obligation to reveal every detail about a test. If I gave you a set of polygraph charts, could you score them on the 7 point scale? Could you then Rank order score them? Could you use Bayesian statistical formulas to look at a group of tests and calculate norms? No, and no one at this site cares to reveal that there are standards of chart evaluation, scoring algorythms, and cut-offs. The final call is one of math, not hunch.
Quote from: EJohnson on Jan 11, 2008, 01:16 PMQuote from: nopoly4me on Jan 11, 2008, 11:21 AMQuote from: nopoly4me on Jan 11, 2008, 08:17 AMNopolycop
Why don't we have a discussion on the Law Enforcement Hiring Process.
It was my understanding that you thought I was an idiot and refused to futher engage me in meaningful discussion? Nevertheless, I am game, with the condition that you and others will answer direct questions, and if they are posed as yes or no questions, to answer yes or no, (which you will be free to explain, as is the practice in the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure).
Lastly, while I agree that personal anecdotes have limited evidentiary value, there is still a place for them, if nothing more than helping to clarify a personally held belief. For example, I once took a polygraph where the polygrapher said that I had lied on one question regarding past criminal behavior, but yet the polygraph examiner also said I had told the truth when asked if I told the truth on the examination! This personal experience of mine certainly helped me form the belief that polygraphy was a sham, and nothing I have read or personally experienced in subsequent pre-employment polygraphs that I have taken has changed my opinion.
I will participate in your discussion, as it frankly, is my hot button, and I would like to see others directly related to the polygraph community paticipate, but only if they will also answer direct questions posed to them, especially by those who have failed polygraphs but were being truthful.
OK then, how about some additional rules of decorum nopoly.
I believe all are keenly aware of your hellbent determination to outlaw applicant screening polygraph. So, why don't you snip the cheap shots here and now. One of the reasons why you have been ignored in the past is that you constantly refer to polygraph and polygraph examiners as a "sham, shamartist, fraud, BS, Phony, con, conartist, congame, hokus......you get the picture. If polygraph is a sham, than that makes thousands of loyal practioners "sham artists"------which infers a lower form of life. Not cool. I know that I am far more aware of polygraph, polygraph research, the history of both successes and failures, the nuances, the uses, strengths and limitations, and the personal beliefs of examiners------than you, PERIOD. So, with that, can you treat your debatees as people who are committed to good practices, ethical treatment of people, and lawful investigation? If you want to discuss the law with a lawyer, you don't constantly refer to that person as a weasel. It kinda slams the discussion, eh?
So, knowing your strongly held belief thet there is misuse of polygraph regarding applicant screening, are you capable of not refering to polygraph as pseudoscience? If so, than go ahead and add every other psych test to the "pseudo science" category, and we will agree to end what could be a more informed discussion.
Quote from: nopoly4me on Jan 11, 2008, 11:21 AMQuote from: nopoly4me on Jan 11, 2008, 08:17 AMNopolycop
Why don't we have a discussion on the Law Enforcement Hiring Process.
It was my understanding that you thought I was an idiot and refused to futher engage me in meaningful discussion? Nevertheless, I am game, with the condition that you and others will answer direct questions, and if they are posed as yes or no questions, to answer yes or no, (which you will be free to explain, as is the practice in the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure).
Lastly, while I agree that personal anecdotes have limited evidentiary value, there is still a place for them, if nothing more than helping to clarify a personally held belief. For example, I once took a polygraph where the polygrapher said that I had lied on one question regarding past criminal behavior, but yet the polygraph examiner also said I had told the truth when asked if I told the truth on the examination! This personal experience of mine certainly helped me form the belief that polygraphy was a sham, and nothing I have read or personally experienced in subsequent pre-employment polygraphs that I have taken has changed my opinion.
I will participate in your discussion, as it frankly, is my hot button, and I would like to see others directly related to the polygraph community paticipate, but only if they will also answer direct questions posed to them, especially by those who have failed polygraphs but were being truthful.
Quote from: nopoly4me on Jan 11, 2008, 08:17 AMNopolycop
Why don't we have a discussion on the Law Enforcement Hiring Process.
Quote from: nopoly4me on Jan 10, 2008, 01:08 PMQuoteI dont find it to be amusing at all.
I intend to create a scenario, then have myself tested to prove just how unreliable the entire process really is.
I don't think nopolycop nor Hunter meant "amusing" in the literal sense. There is nothing funny about testing procedures that have error rates, even marginal ones. Read Jonathon Kozol's i.e. "Death at an Early Age"---on how inner city kids (read minorities) get the shaft by normative testing (IQ, Aptitude, Psych Eval) that was modeled by rural kids. Not exactly funny when people are left out in the rain for being peculiar or not peculiar enough as it were when undergoing important testing. Dozens of examiners in various fields are working tirelessly to close the error rate gaps.
Regarding staging a phony test. I suggest you think long and hard about how to present yourself in a polygraph test with a surreptitious gameplan---not unlike someone planning on using countermeasures----you should expect a skewed test with high levels of anomolous chart arousals and "data noise." Peer reviewed research shows that a deceptive game plan that may not involve lying to Relevant Questions per se can provoke "hyper arousal" to the test, and be deemed as deceptive. Might be interesting though---why not give it a whirl?
QuoteEJ:
My apologies, it wasn't my purpose to misdirect the conversation by quoting out of context
QuoteThe point is, (which I am sure MOST people reading this were able to pick up on without feeling misled), was that any test short of an actual high stakes polygraph test, (which most are), is a phony test.
QuoteIf someone wants to set up a polygrapher under false pretenses and use that as proof of the falicy of polygraphy, it is not substantially different than a college professor telling a group of kids to go out and commit a controlled mock crime and then attempt to establish a link between these phony studies and real life. That's all.The poster wasn't suggesting committing a mock crime, she was suggesting attempting to defraud an examiner for the purpose of doing damage to his/her career, and the field as a whole. That's a mighty big endeavor for a person, as compared to a mock theft of a $20 bill. This sounds like a sort of bizarre mentation Nopoly, not a deductive theory.
QuoteActually, now that I have had time to thnk about it, that's not all. Why don't you leave the personal attacks, insinuations and innuendo at the door? It might be a fun game for you, but frankly, I don't have the time for it. If you want to engage me on a professional level and discuss the issues, I am up for it. Otherwise, feel free to ignore anything I may write, as others do.
QuoteIf you want to engage me on a professional level and discuss the issues, I am up for it. Otherwise, feel free to ignore anything I may write, as others do.
Quote from: nopoly4me on Jan 10, 2008, 02:05 PMQuoteI would submit, that any of the "psychology student" tests where a mock crime is used as the basis of the test would fall nicely under the catagory of a "phoney test". Afterall, the studetns didn't actually commit a crime, but instead, given permission to do whatever they are being tested about.
You have submitted many things that fall short of rational thought.
Quoting someone out of context is cute;
nopoly stated;Quoteargue it is valid for pre-employment screening
Well nopolycop, if you insist.
QuoteI would submit, that any of the "psychology student" tests where a mock crime is used as the basis of the test would fall nicely under the catagory of a "phoney test". Afterall, the studetns didn't actually commit a crime, but instead, given permission to do whatever they are being tested about.
Quoteargue it is valid for pre-employment screening
Quote from: nopoly4me on Jan 10, 2008, 01:08 PM[Regarding staging a phony test. I suggest you think long and hard about how to present yourself in a polygraph test with a surreptitious gameplan---quote]
I would submit, that any of the "psychology student" tests where a mock crime is used as the basis of the test would fall nicely under the catagory of a "phoney test". Afterall, the studetns didn't actually commit a crime, but instead, given permission to do whatever they are being tested about.
QuoteI dont find it to be amusing at all.
I intend to create a scenario, then have myself tested to prove just how unreliable the entire process really is.
Quote from: nopoly4me on Jan 09, 2008, 09:12 PMAmusing but also reality. Polygraph will be here for a long time unless a new manner of determining credibility is found.