Hi, I have a polygraph coming up, and I may wish to use countermeasures.
I've read through The Lie Behind the Lie Detector, but I still have one point of confusion. When employing countermeasures during the control questions, am I supposed to answer truthfully, untruthfully, or does it not matter? I have no problem answering the control questions truthfully, so I would rather do that if it is an option, but am looking for advice.
Thanks.
When answering the "control" questions, one should provide the expected answer. It doesn't matter if that answer is truthful or not. It is expected to be less than truthful. The expected answer is usually, but not always, "no." For example, if the control question is "Did you ever lie to a person in a position of authority?" or "Did you ever lie to get out of trouble?" the expected answer is "no." But if the control question is, "Are you a completely trustworthy person?" the expected answer is "yes."
Thank you for the quick response, George. It sounds like even if I am willing to truthfully respond, "Yes" to a question such as, "Have you ever lied to a person in a position of authority," I should just go ahead and answer, "No."
That's right. It's okay to make very minor admissions that can't be spun into a disqualifying statement by a polygrapher seeking to polish his own apple. (Polygraphers are typically rated on the basis of disqualifying admissions/confessions obtained.) For example, if asked if you've ever lied to a person in a position of authority, it would be okay to admit that you once lied to your mother about how the window got broken when you were ten years old, perhaps adding that the polygrapher is the only other person you've ever told about this.
I read the polygraph manual posted on this website the other day.
If the exam is in a Directed lie format the examiner will instruct you to pretend that you are lying on some of the question. You will be told the answer which you are expected to give. The questions are wage in nature and you are told that certainly not everyone is expected to completely be honest on those questions. You are encouraged to think of anything that would make you respond to such questions.
If the exam in in a Probably lie format things get more covert. You are told the control questions are honor/integrity questions and you must tell the full truth. You will not be told the expected answer to these question but they are generally expecting "no" answers. Any yes answers will be treated as admissions which can further be probed.
If you are given a probably lie format test than you can treat it as a directed lie test. It would be unwise to make admissions not already disclosed on the security forms. If you try to think to hard about coming up with minor admissions it may stress you out.
QuoteIf the exam is in a Directed lie format the examiner will instruct you to pretend that you are lying on some of the question.
I'm not sure what "pretending to lie" is, wouldn't that be telling the truth? Whether Directed Lie or Probable Lie Control Questions are employed, the countermeasure strategies are the same.
Could you tell me how many control questions are typically used for examiners and if they use them all in one section of the test or if they use here and there during the whole test?
Also, can you give me various examples of control questions and how we do recognize them?
Thank you so much and congrats for your investigation/education work