In his article, "The Zone Comparison Test," Polygraph, Vol.
27 (1998), No. 2, pp. 108-122, former National Security
Administration (NSA) polygraph program director Norman Ansley
provides the question sequence for the Department of Defense
Polygraph Institute's version of the Zone Comparison "Test."
The following citation is from p. 118:
Zone Comparison Test Question Sequence
Department of Defense Polygraph Institute 1991
1. Irrelevant. Are the lights on in this room? Yes.
2. Sacrifice Relevant. Regarding that stolen money, do you
intend to answer truthfully each question about that?
Yes.
3. Symptomatic. Are you completely convinced that I will not
ask you a question on this test that has not already been
reviewed? Yes.
4. Control. Prior to 1990, did you ever steal from someone
who trusted you? No.
5. Strong relevant. Did you steal any of that money? No.
6. Control. Prior to coming to Alabama, did you ever steal
anything? No.
7. Relevant. Did you steal any of that money from the
footlocker? No.
8. Symptomatic. Is there something else you are afraid I
will ask you a question about, even though I have told
you I would not? No.
9. Control. Prior to this year, did you ever steal anything
from an employer? No.
10. Weak Relevant. Do you know where any of that stolen
money is now? No.
SKY - Optional
11. Suspect. Do you suspect anyone in particular of
stealing any of that money? No.
12. Knowledge. Do you know for sure who stole any of that
money? No.
13. You. Did you steal any of that money? No.
The Zone Comparison "Test" (ZCT) is one of the most commonly-used
polygraph formats, but is not addressed in the 1st electronic
edition of The Lie Behind the Lie Detector (http://antipolygraph.org/pubs.shtml). It is a form of
"Control" Question "Test" and is considered a single-issue "test"
as opposed to the Modified General Question "Test" (regarding
which, see Appendix A of of The Lie Behind the Lie Detector).
In a polygraph dragnet to find out who leaked information to the
press, I expect that a variant of the ZCT would be used.
The following information on two varieties of the ZCT
is extracted from chapter 11 of James Allen Matte's
Forensic Psychophysiology Using the Polygraph.
Other versions also exist.
DoDPI Bi-Spot Zone Comparison Test Structure.
l. Irrelevant Is today Monday?
2. Sacrifice Relevant Regarding the incident you reported,
do you intend to answer truthfully each question about that?
3. Symptomatic Are you completely convinced that I will not ask
you a question on this test that has not already been reviewed?
4. Non-Current Exclusive Control Prior to 1993, did you ever lie
to anyone in a position of authority?
5. Relevant Did you lie about that man forcing you to have sexual
intercourse with him?
6. Non-Current Exclusive Control Prior to this year, did you ever
lie about something you are ashamed of?
7. Relevant Did you lie about that man forcing you to have sexual
intercourse with him in his apartment?
8. Non-Current Exclusive Control Prior to 1990, did you ever lie
to get out of trouble?
9. Symptomatic Is there something else you are afraid I will ask
you a question about, even though I have told you I would not?
Utah Zone Comparison Technique
1. Irrelevant
2. Sacrifice Relevant
3. Symptomatic
4. Control
5. Relevant
6. Control
7. Relevant
8. Irrelevant
9. Control
10. Relevant
Matte notes regarding the Utah technique that "at all times
relevant test questions responses at each (R) position are
compared only with the responses to the previous control
question position..."
Persons using polygraph countermeasures to protect against a
false positive outcome should not bother memorizing question
orders, but should learn to recognize "control" questions on
the fly. See chapter 3 of The Lie Behind the Lie Detector (http://antipolygraph.org/pubs.shtml) for
details on how to recognize "control" questions.