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Topic summary

Posted by xenonman
 - Jul 28, 2016, 11:45 PM
Quote from: Arkhangelsk on May 07, 2016, 03:59 PMFrom my perspective the set should include:

-Not asking questions regarding religious beliefs
-Not asking questions regarding sexual orientation
-Not asking questions which would turn one family member against another
-Refusing to examine someone who is not voluntarily submitting (signing a form is insufficient evidence)

Attached is the APA code of ethics

Does the IC still bug applicants being polygraphed about any past "homosexual" activity? :-[
Posted by xenonman
 - Jul 28, 2016, 11:39 PM
Quote from: Wandersmann on Jul 28, 2016, 11:10 PM
Quote from: xenonman on Jul 28, 2016, 06:36 PMEthics in Polygraph Testing?

Sounds like a good title for one of the world's shortest books!
It's right up there with Ethics in Creating a Ponzi Scheme ;D

Or "Running the Successful Presidential Campaign" by Harold Stassen. ;)
Posted by Wandersmann
 - Jul 28, 2016, 11:10 PM
Quote from: xenonman on Jul 28, 2016, 06:36 PMEthics in Polygraph Testing?

Sounds like a good title for one of the world's shortest books!
It's right up there with Ethics in Creating a Ponzi Scheme ;D
Posted by xenonman
 - Jul 28, 2016, 06:36 PM
Quote from: danmangan on Jul 02, 2016, 10:15 AMEthics in polygraph "testing" has always been a precious commodity.

Ethics in Polygraph Testing?

Sounds like a good title for one of the world's shortest books! ;D
Posted by Dan Mangan
 - Jul 02, 2016, 10:15 AM
Ethics in polygraph "testing" has always been a precious commodity.

Members of the American Polygraph Association will have an opportunity to make ethics a core professional value by supporting me for the office of APA president-elect.

My election platform is a simple triad of principles:

1. A bill of rights – similar in spirit to those found in the medical and mental health fields -- for polygraph test subjects, designed to elevate informed consent and avoid potential harms

2. Open-book research, including an ongoing countermeasure challenge series integral to APA seminars, designed to reveal polygraph's real-world accuracy and expose the wide variations in examiner competence

3. Equality for all APA members regarding access to political and educational opportunities, thereby reducing the inequities of a de facto caste society

APA electronic elections start tomorrow, July 3rd, and run through July 9th.
Posted by George W. Maschke
 - Jul 02, 2016, 08:57 AM
Quote from: Arkhangelsk on Jul 01, 2016, 01:06 AMIt seems that the profession had an earnest vision of ethics a half a century ago.

I'm not so sure about that. There were no doubt things going on in the polygraph "profession" fifty years ago that concerned Yeschke enough that he felt the need to write this article, which was published years after John A. Larson stated: "The lie detector, in many places, is nothing more than a psychological third-degree aimed at extorting a confession as the old physical beatings were."

It's also worth noting that Yeschke taught at the Reid school, whose teachings on interrogation are all about extorting confessions.
Posted by Ex Member
 - Jul 01, 2016, 01:06 AM
Quote from: George_Maschke on May 07, 2016, 04:16 PMThese are noble thoughts, but the polygraph "profession" is bound by no ethical code that enshrines them.

George, as a followup to this interesting thread. I happened upon the attached article from 1965 published in the Journal of Criminal Law and Criminality written by Charles L. Yeschke entitled "Ethics and the Polygraph Examiner." It seems that the profession had an earnest vision of ethics a half a century ago. Comparing line by line with contemporary practices demonstrates that this redeeming value was lost in the subsequent corruption.

Noteworthy is that he frowns upon anyone claiming extremely high accuracy: "Any verbal or advertised contention of perfection - No reputable examiner should manufacture such a claim, realizing in the first place that all individuals cannot be successfully examined with the polygraph, and knowing that perfection has never been achieved in any process where human beings are implicated."

He further admonishes; "Any employment of the polygraph for the sole intent of inducing confessions and thus disregarding the equally important function of the polygraph in exonerating the innocent."

Posted by Galan007
 - May 07, 2016, 05:46 PM
Quote from: George_Maschke on May 07, 2016, 11:34 AM
Quote from: jisc77 on May 07, 2016, 10:49 AMThanks for your responses.

Other than a blanket suspicion that one of us may have been involved, do they need any other more legitimate reasons/evidence before they can commence with a polygraph, or can they request us to take one based on this general suspicion?

Also, if we take the test and fail it, can we suffer any negative recourse based solely on that?

I don't know the answers to your first question, but with respect to the second, see the Arizona Revised Statutes, Section 38-1138:

Quote38-1138. Polygraph examinations

A. The results of a polygraph examination in an investigation may not be the basis for disciplinary action unless other corroborating evidence or information exists to support that disciplinary action.

B. Notwithstanding section 39-123, all data and reports from a polygraph examination of a probation officer are confidential and may be used only for employment, certification or reactivation of certification purposes or for the administrative matter for which a polygraph was administered, including other ancillary matters. All other uses are prohibited.

C. Except for a preemployment polygraph after which an applicant was not hired or in the case of an active investigation or an appeal, the data and reports from a polygraph examination of a probation officer shall be destroyed as soon as practicable three years after the date of appointment or employment but not more than ninety calendar days after that date.

See also Section 38-1108, which adopts similar language with respect to law enforcement officers.

Again, I suggest you seek local legal counsel. In addition, I suggest you review Chapters 1,3, and 4 of The Lie Behind the Lie Detector. This information will be useful in the event that you are compelled to submit to this pseudoscientific procedure.
Thank you.

So in my case, it might be best to take the 'test'. If I refuse to take it, I can be subject to disciplinary action... But if I take, and fail, the test secondary to nervousness or whathaveyou, they can't issue any sort of discipline anyway.
Posted by Ex Member
 - May 07, 2016, 04:53 PM
I guess that's what I originally meant as "competent." Having a signed form provides cover, but does not eliminate the coercion.
Posted by George W. Maschke
 - May 07, 2016, 04:43 PM
Quote from: Arkhangelsk on May 07, 2016, 04:35 PMAny polygraphers want to go on the record? Would you conduct a polygraph exam on someone who is being coerced into submitting?

Polygraph operators have an easy out. The examinee will be coerced into signing a statement that she is submitting to the procedure "voluntarily." Is this news to anyone?
Posted by Ex Member
 - May 07, 2016, 04:35 PM
Any polygraphers want to go on the record? Would you conduct a polygraph exam on someone who is being coerced into submitting?
Posted by George W. Maschke
 - May 07, 2016, 04:16 PM
These are noble thoughts, but the polygraph "profession" is bound by no ethical code that enshrines them. The American Polygraph Association code you reference makes no such imposition. And in any event, the APA's "ethics" code is little more than window dressing.
Posted by Ex Member
 - May 07, 2016, 03:59 PM
From my perspective the set should include:

-Not asking questions regarding religious beliefs
-Not asking questions regarding sexual orientation
-Not asking questions which would turn one family member against another
-Refusing to examine someone who is not voluntarily submitting (signing a form is insufficient evidence)

Attached is the APA code of ethics
Posted by George W. Maschke
 - May 07, 2016, 03:49 PM
Quote from: Arkhangelsk on May 07, 2016, 03:20 PMI guess "competent" was misleading. I meant competent as in being aware of the ethics. Any examiner that would conduct a polygraph exam knowing that the examinee is being coerced into submitting either does not understand or chooses to ignore the ethics of his profession.

What are these ethics of the polygraph "profession" of which you speak?
Posted by Ex Member
 - May 07, 2016, 03:20 PM
I guess "competent" was misleading. I meant competent as in being aware of the ethics. Any examiner that would conduct a polygraph exam knowing that the examinee is being coerced into submitting either does not understand or chooses to ignore the ethics of his profession.