Drugs in conjunction with a ploygraph

[GavinDeGraw]

i have looked at the message board and just wondered if the person that is being test takes valium, what sort or result can that give ? will the person be able to answer straight out right with out having to use any counter measures and still be able to lie and deceive the ploygraphier ? i have a great interest in the subject of ploygraphes and wish to learn more.

Thanks Gavin

[George W. Maschke]

Gavin,

While a sedative might reduce a person's overall reactivity, one would not expect it to be of great help in passing the most commonly used polygraph technique, the "Control" (or Comparison) Question Test. In this technique, the examinee's reactions to relevant questions (for example, "Did you shoot John?") are compared to the examinee's reactions to so-called probable-lie "control" questions that everyone -- even a person answering the relevant questions truthfully -- is secretly expected to answer with less than complete honesty (for example, "Did you ever intentionally hurt someone?" or "Did you ever lie to get out of trouble?").

If the examinee's reactions to the relevant questions are stronger, the examinee fails; if reactions to the "control" (or comparison) questions are larger, the examinee passes. So the key to passing is to show stronger reactions to the control questions than to the relevant questions, and this is something that a drug like valium is unlikely to accomplish.

For a fuller explanation of polygraph procedure and countermeasures, see Chapters 3 & 4 of The Lie Behind the Lie Detector.

[EJohnson]

Hey Gavin, are you the phenomenal singer songwriter? If you are, I am a huge fan of your work----especially the unplugged stuff i.e. "Chariot" and all the others----fantastic pipes my friend, one of the best singers I have ever heard. I am a polygraph examiner, if you want to know anything about polygraph, send me a private message. If you are not the exceptional musician whose name you use, than your use of Gavin's name is kinda lame.


Eric

[GavinDeGraw]

No no just happen to have the same names thats all, quite a popular Dutch name...

Ah thanks that great. I find the countermeasure idea extremely interesting.