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A forum for free and open discussion of polygraph-related topics
Posted by mamakat
- Apr 21, 2009, 01:18 AMQuote from: PhilGainey on Feb 19, 2009, 08:45 PM DON'T play that game. Answer truthfully, and stick to the truth. Go in realizing that the polygraph IS AN INTERROGATION not a test to measure if you are "telling the truth".
WOW! I wish I would have read your site before I today - I took my first polygraph test today... I thought I would be better off not doing any research and just try not to think about it and go into it sort of "fresh"- doh! -- BAD IDEA!
I was completely exhausted afterwards and I NEVER want to have to do that again.. I didn't lie, so it is hard to explain why I was so nervous.. The guy kept asking me "Are you afraid that I will ask you a surprise question?"- and I was not afraid (at first), but after he asked that 1 few times (not over and over, but every once in a while) I started to wonder "Why does he keep asking me that question?" then I started wondering if my body was stressing out because I was wondering about the question, then I got more and more stressed out about that question! uggggg... when we were done he asked me what I was thinking about when he asked "Have you done any illegal drugs since 2005?" and "Have you intentionally caused physicall harm to someone?" - and I told him nothing- I don't know.. so I guess he meant that it showed I was lying - he didn't specify, and he also didn't say whether or not I passed... Is that normal? - I was afraid to ask in case it looked like I was not confident about being truthful. Ugggg!
BTW - the poly was for applying for 911 dispatcher - and like you stated above - it is a highly stressful job, so maybe this just shows me that I am not cut out for the work.. :-/ (Although I think I'd be fine after 6 months training)
BTW- now I know why innocent people refuse to take a polygraph if they are suspected of a crime --- because they are NOT STUPID!!
Posted by T.M. Cullen
- Feb 20, 2009, 12:49 AMQuoteI'm just afraid that i'll start to think too much about the possibility of lying on a report that my mind will start to make up false memories. Thanks again
Check out this link as well. It is legal advice from an attorney whospecializes if protecting people from the polygraph. He says pretty much what I've been saying:
Quotehttp://www.defendyoursecurityclearance.com/id23.html
Look, the questions are clear cut, specific "yes-no" questions. What's to think about? Just don't let some conniving polygraph operator twist your words and make you out to be a liar. And if your chart readings show a consistent pattern of reaction during the polygraph, that is exactly what they will try to do. Like i said, their assumption (and it simply is not true) is that if you keep reacting, you must be lying. So they go on this quest for that "golden admission". That wee bit of info they can distort, blow out of proportion and USE to justify their false assumption that their "magic box" is right!
As if being repeatedly told you are lying or holding back, when you are NOT, isn't enough to cause "reactions" to a given question! And they call that "science"!
Keep in touch!
TC
P.S. Police work and EMR rank pretty high on the anxiety provoking scale. Maybe you should consider something less stressful. None of my biz, or course.
Posted by riderx
- Feb 19, 2009, 09:59 PMthanks for the response TM, to clear up my 1st question it was an ambulance crew, i can't think of any exact lies i may have put down if any, because I can't remember any exact instances (i know hard to believe) but i always tried to be truthful when writing reports. It could have been as simple as not getting their age and then guessing what their age was. I'm just afraid that i'll start to think too much about the possibility of lying on a report that my mind will start to make up false memories. Thanks again
Posted by T.M. Cullen
- Feb 19, 2009, 08:45 PMQuoteI used to work with a local emergency squad and had to write reports out for calls, if a polygraph examiner asks me if i have ever lied on these reports I wouldn't honestly be able to remember because I wrote so many, so what would i say? I mean its possible i lied about something on the report but I can't say i did or didn't for sure.
Are you talking about an EMR (ambulance) crew? What kind of reports are you talking about? What kind of lpossible lies are you talking about? Remember, a lie means DELIBERATELY saying something that YOU KNOW is not true. Falsifying records means the same thing. DELIBERATELY entering something in a report YOU KNOW IS FALSE.
QuoteMy other question, is it possible that you can fail a poly for just thinking about something and it making you anxious? I had an anxiety disorder about a year ago, now cured, where terrible thoughts would run through my mind without me having any control. So say for example they would ask me have i ever looked at underage pornography, i never did, but just the thought makes me anxious and unsettled so maybe they could view it as a lie. Any thoughts? Thanks all
If they ask you if you've ever looked at kiddie porn, and you haven't, then answer "NO!" If that is the actual truth. And stick to that answer. If the machine measures a "reaction" the polygraph operator will FALSELY ASSume you are lying, and possibly try to "fluster" you in an effort to get you to admit to something you haven't done. DON'T play that game. Answer truthfully, and stick to the truth. Go in realizing that the polygraph IS AN INTERROGATION not a test to measure if you are "telling the truth". And don't let them tell you otherwise.
As for your panic attacks/anxiety. You are under no obligation to discuss your medical history with the polygrapher. If your application asks for such info, put it down. And again, don't play the game of trying to explain your "chart reactions" to the examiner by discussing your anxiety. If you've told the truth, the held your end of the bargain. Don't let the polygrapher try to convince you you've done something that you HAVEN'T!
Remember, just because your nervous system "reacts" on the machine doesn't mean you are lying, even though they will tell you it does, or that there is "something bothering you" about the question. That is a load of crap. The important thing is if you are "bothered" by your ANSWER to the question. Not the question itself. There is a difference. For example, if I asked you "have you had sex with your sister?", you'd likely be "bothered" by the question, but not by answering "NO!" to that question.
Read "The Lie Behind The Lie Detector" which can be downloaded on the home page of this website. It explains in detail the fraud behind polygraphy.
TC
Posted by riderx
- Feb 19, 2009, 08:29 PMHey all,
I just discovered this site a few days ago and had a few questions regarding the poly. I'm hoping to join law enforcement in a year or two. I know most depts. give polys to potential applicants and i want to be honest, so here it goes. I used to work with a local emergency squad and had to write reports out for calls, if a polygraph examiner asks me if i have ever lied on these reports I wouldn't honestly be able to remember because I wrote so many, so what would i say? I mean its possible i lied about something on the report but I can't say i did or didn't for sure. My other question, is it possible that you can fail a poly for just thinking about something and it making you anxious? I had an anxiety disorder about a year ago, now cured, where terrible thoughts would run through my mind without me having any control. So say for example they would ask me have i ever looked at underage pornography, i never did, but just the thought makes me anxious and unsettled so maybe they could view it as a lie. Any thoughts? Thanks all
I just discovered this site a few days ago and had a few questions regarding the poly. I'm hoping to join law enforcement in a year or two. I know most depts. give polys to potential applicants and i want to be honest, so here it goes. I used to work with a local emergency squad and had to write reports out for calls, if a polygraph examiner asks me if i have ever lied on these reports I wouldn't honestly be able to remember because I wrote so many, so what would i say? I mean its possible i lied about something on the report but I can't say i did or didn't for sure. My other question, is it possible that you can fail a poly for just thinking about something and it making you anxious? I had an anxiety disorder about a year ago, now cured, where terrible thoughts would run through my mind without me having any control. So say for example they would ask me have i ever looked at underage pornography, i never did, but just the thought makes me anxious and unsettled so maybe they could view it as a lie. Any thoughts? Thanks all