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Posted by Phlyfisher
 - Oct 22, 2008, 11:11 PM
Quote from: George_Maschke on Oct 21, 2008, 05:47 AM
In any event saying "no" as directed when answering each question is not an act of deception but rather of compliance. These numbers tests have nothing to do with lie detection but rather are a piece of performance art intended to reinforce the examinee's belief in the lie detector's ability to detect deception.

That's exactly what I felt. Thanks.
Posted by George W. Maschke
 - Oct 21, 2008, 05:47 AM
The "numbers test" used by polygraphers to convince examinees that the polygraph can detect lies is a trick in the sense that its purpose is to deceive the examinee about the powers of the polygraph. The test you were given was not, in fact, a lie test, but rather a peak of tension test. It often turns out that the examinee responds most strongly to the number he actually chose, and Gordon Barland has written an article on a technique for administering a numbers test wherein the examiner does not have foreknowledge of the number chosen (Barland, G. H. "A fail-proof blind number test." Polygraph, 7 [1978], pp. 203-208).

On the other hand, there are also clever non-polygraphic techniques that a polygrapher could use to determine the number selected by the examinee. If you watch Criss Angel Mindfreak you will have seen more impressive feats of mentalism.

In any event saying "no" as directed when answering each question is not an act of deception but rather of compliance. These numbers tests have nothing to do with lie detection but rather are a piece of performance art intended to reinforce the examinee's belief in the lie detector's ability to detect deception.
Posted by Phlyfisher
 - Oct 20, 2008, 11:10 PM
When the polygrapher was "calibrating the machine for my body type", he did a 1-10 test.  He had me pick a number.  I picked and wrote down 6.  First he asked me to tell it to him, then he says "no wait, don't show it to me." he then asks me questions, "Is your number x?" after going through all of this, he got the number right and said, "you're an easy read." Is this legit or was it some kind of trick?

Oh, and apparently I wasn't an easy read cause the test lasted for about 2 hours.