Failed a PG

[Hatethesystem899]

I failed a poly about a month ago. I did the mental math technique and got a -3.

The only thing I can think of is that maybe I didn't hold the technique long enough on control questions. 5 or 6 seconds if I recall from the book?

Looking for advice on the retest and all input is welcome and helpfull.

[George W. Maschke]

If you could tell me on which questions you augmented your physiological responses, that would be helpful for providing feedback.

[Hatethesystem899]

If you could tell me on which questions you augmented your physiological responses, that would be helpful for providing feedback.

Lets see.

1. Have you lied to your probation officer?
2. Have you done anything that your probation officer would disapprove of? (or something like that)
3. Are you the type of person who would. . . something. I can't remember.

I think there was another one but I can't remember it right now. I was pretty sure they were the correct questions to augment cause like the book says he listed them separately from the relevant questions. I will think about it and if I can remember the other details I'll post them.

[George W. Maschke]

The three questions you enumerated are indeed "control" questions. I was wondering whether you might have inadvertently augmented a reaction to a relevant question.

[Hatethesystem899]

The three questions you enumerated are indeed "control" questions. I was wondering whether you might have inadvertently augmented a reaction to a relevant question.

I'm fairly confident in my ability to identify the control questions. So the only thing I can think of is that maybe I didn't hold the technique long enough.

Do you have any advice for a retake? I expect it to be more invasive and interrogative. But, it does give me a second chance at passing.

I sent you a PM with a few more details.

[mooney]

here's an idea:  how about taking the test honestly!

[rebelfulmar2]

here's an idea: how about taking the test honestly! Even in a spinbettercasino the fun disappears pretty fast if you're trying to game the rules instead of just playing the games or slots as intended.

meh, honest people flunk these all the time, so honesty isnt really the safety net it sounds like.

[mooney]

meh, honest people flunk these all the time, so honesty isnt really the safety net it sounds like.

neither is trying to cheat your way through a polygraph when you're too stupid to do it correctly.

[George W. Maschke]

here's an idea:  how about taking the test honestly!

Unfortunately, answering all questions truthfully doesn't increase one's chances of passing. In fact, because passing requires exhibiting stronger reactions to the probable-lie "control" questions than to the relevant questions, to the extent one answers the "control" questions truthfully, and as a consequence exhibits weaker physiological reactions to them, the more likely one is to fail.

Were polygraphy a valid test for deception, and not the pseudoscientific fraud that it is, this website would not exist.

[tessdune]

neither is trying to cheat your way through a polygraph when you're too stupid to do it correctly.

Polygraphs can still spit out a fail even when someone answers straight, that's the whole problem with treating them like magic machines.