Infidelity Poly

[FoolTheGraph]

What kind of test is generally used on an infidelity poly? CQT? GKT? R/I?

[Mr. Truth]

Aside from being dumb enough to believe the results would be valid in the first place, do you really think a test is going to make you or your SO feel better about things? If you do, then you have two problems: your original one, related to the state of your relationship, and two, believing that the polygraph has any validity to begin with.

Let's say you are the one taking the test, and you have not been unfaithful, but you are scored as being deceptive. Then what? Or, put the shoe on the other foot - your SO swears up and down he/she has not been unfaithful, but the results say otherwise.

The only person is who guaranteed to feel good about the outcome is the polygrapher, who is laughing all the way to the bank with your $200-300 you just pissed away in the name of "truth."

[FoolTheGraph]

Appreciate the reply, but you assume that I or my SO is taking one.... the question actually doesn't apply to me, but to a close friend of mine who is dealing with a situation.

When his SO tells him that if he doesn't take the poly, she is divorcing him and they have three kids - it's not so easy to say I'm not taking it. I am simply trying to give him all the information and letting him decide.

[George W. Maschke]

On so-called "fidelity" polygraphs the technique used is almost always a probable-lie CQT.

[pailryder]

FoolTheGraph

If your friend has been faithful and is willing to accept the risk of a false positive, it could be money well spent.  If he has been unfaithful, as his SO suspects, he should fess up and save the money for his child support payments.

[Sergeant1107]

FoolTheGraph

If your friend has been faithful and is willing to accept the risk of a false positive, it could be money well spent.  If he has been unfaithful, as his SO suspects, he should fess up and save the money for his child support payments.

If you acknowledge the possibility of a false positive, that would logically include the possibility of a false negative.  So, why would someone be advised to spend money on a polygraph?

If they "pass" the polygraph, it would mean they were:
1. Truthful, or...
2. Deceptive and were a false negative.

If they "fail" the polygraph, it would mean they were:
1. Deceptive, or...
2. Truthful and were a false positive.

[pailryder]

Sergeant1107

I have been contacted by a number of couples, sometimes years later, who thanked me and told me the test helped them repair, salvage or terminate their relationship.  To be fair, some have reported it was not useful, but even those did not express regret at their decision to seek and, of course, pay for my opinion.


Would you apply the logic of your argument to jury verdicts as well?  If you acknowledge the possibility of an inncorrect verdict by a jury then every person you ever helped send to jail is either guilty as charged or an innocent person wrongfully convicted, and every person found not guily is either innocent or truly guilty but advantaged by an inncorrect verdict.   

[Sergeant1107]

Sergeant1107

I have been contacted by a number of couples, sometimes years later, who thanked me and told me the test helped them repair, salvage or terminate their relationship.  To be fair, some have reported it was not useful, but even those did not express regret at their decision to seek and, of course, pay for my opinion.


Would you apply the logic of your argument to jury verdicts as well?  If you acknowledge the possibility of an inncorrect verdict by a jury then every person you ever helped send to jail is either guilty as charged or an innocent person wrongfully convicted, and every person found not guily is either innocent or truly guilty but advantaged by an inncorrect verdict.   

I think it is clearly different.  A polygraph exam purports to be a scientific test.  A jury trial is nothing more than the opinion of twelve jurors regarding the evidence presented to them and while following the judge's instructions.  A jury trial is not supposed to be a scientific test.

If I felt sick and went to a doctor, and he said he could give me a test (that certainly wasn't free), and that test would either come back positive (meaning I had the XYZ disease or that I was a false positive and I didn't have the XYZ disease) or negative (meaning I didn't have the XYZ disease or that I was a false negative and I did have the XYZ disease) I would not see any point in paying for such a test.

[pailryder]

Sergeant1107

If I felt sick and went to a doctor, and he said he could give me a test (that certainly wasn't free), and that test would either come back positive (meaning I had the XYZ disease or that I was a false positive and I didn't have the XYZ disease) or negative (meaning I didn't have the XYZ disease or that I was a false negative and I did have the XYZ disease) I would not see any point in paying for such a test.

Then you should never go to a doctor, because every medical tests has the potential for a false positive/negative result. 

[getrealalready]

pailryder,

Although malpractice occurs with some frequency in medicine it is a rarity relative to that which occurs in the polygraph suite.  If polygraphers were held to the same standards as physicians and were  routinely held responsible for their malpractice, I suggest there would be no polygraphy.

But perhaps you disagree and would be willing for polygraphers to routinely be subject to malpractice suits?? 

[Sergeant1107]

Then you should never go to a doctor, because every medical tests has the potential for a false positive/negative result. 

I should have been clearer, I suppose.  While it is true that most medical tests carry some chance of a false negative or a false positive, the ones considered "accurate" (such as the throat culture or the Pap smear) have a statistically insignificant chance of false results.

The same cannot be said of the polygraph, even, I think, by its supporters.

[pailryder]

getrealalready

We are routinely subjected to malpractice suits, and in some states, required to provide proof of insurance coverage for licensing. 

[stefano]

hmmm, so all of these rejected candidates can sue for malpractice if the polygrapher did not follow APA guidelines or adhere to the polygraph technique?

[getrealalready]

pailryder,

Your thoughts?  Should any polygrapher (and his/her agency/department) who does not audio/video tape a routine polygraph exam be subject to a malpractice suit?  As best I can tell, most (certainly all applicant exams) ARE routine and given in normal places of business (polygraph suites)  There seems to be no excuse whatsoever for not doing so.

[Twoblock]

pailryder

Arn't polygraph subjects required to sign a piece of paper that obsolves the polygrapher of all liabilities due to the test results?