irrelevant questions

[roger]

hi i am going to take a polygraph very soon and i was wondering if the polygrapher uses irrelevant questions, instead of control questions, should i treat the irrelevant as control questions and imply CM's when they are asked?

[George W. Maschke]

No.

[roger]

what should i do? this is really important. thanks

[roger]

this would be very helpul because i am scared please help me.

[George W. Maschke]

With respect to the Relevant/Irrelevant "Test," see pp. 117-120 and 151 of the current edition of The Lie Behind the Lie Detector:

https://antipolygraph.org/lie-behind-the-lie-detector.pdf

[Roger]

So it's still possiable to "beat" the test if they do use irrelevant questions? Thank you for replying btw

[Roger]

Disregard that last question.
So I have to do behavioral counter measusers when the irrelevant questions are asked ex.(is your name -your name-?) and then change my reaction when a serious question such as (have you kept a secrtet?) I may sound stupid but this is really important and I need all the help I can get. Thank you so much.

[George W. Maschke]

Note that the countermeasure strategy for the Relevant/Irrelevant "Test" outlined in The Lie Behind the Lie Detector applies only to the federal government's technique. If the explanation in the book is unclear to you, then I think it would be prudent not to attempt to produce reactions to any questions and limit oneself to the behavioral countermeasures described in Chapter 4.

[Roger]

But if Ones self doesn't produce truthful charts, and is lying, how will just behavriol CM's effect the out come?

[George W. Maschke]

Behavioral countermeasures can affect outcomes because of the subjective nature of polygraphy. In many situations, the polygrapher's "gut" feeling may determine the reported result.

Based on what you've posted, it seems that your intention is to lie on the polygraph. Why not just refuse to take it, instead?

[Roger]

I have to take this polygraph. And I have taken ones in the past and have failed. I have to pass this one. Their is nothing else I can do to give a positive chart reading other than, behave a certain way? I thought if I for example change my breathing from 2-4 breaths to holding my breath on a irrelevent question it would show a truthful chart because the charts mathced? And yes I am not being truthful on this poly

[George W. Maschke]

It sounds like you might be in a post-conviction polygraph screening program. Such programs routinely employ the probable-lie control question test (CQT). It's possible that the question you plan on lying about is actually a control question (to which you're secretly expected to be untruthful).

[Roger]

So the irelevent questions they ask are actually control questions, and I should apply CM's on the questions that sound irrelevant?

[George W. Maschke]

No.

[Roger]

What do I do then? I'm lost