PostTest question

[JoeSmoe]

I was given a Relevent/Irrelevent polygraph.   After the exam, the polygrapher asked me on a scale of 1 to 10 which question bothered me the most.   I told her that none did but if any question did it was probably the drug question because I have always felt guilty about using marijuana, even though it was only twice when I was much younger.  She did not ask me any further questions and I did not make any damaging confession .   What does this mean for my chances of having passed/failed the poly?

[George W. Maschke]

Based on the absence of a post-test interrogation, it seems likely that you passed. It's standard practice for polygraphers to interrogate when the charts are scored as "deception indicated."

[JoeSmoe]

Thank you for your response to my question George.  I feel confident in the overall test, I think i just have post test anziety because I'm excited to continue the application process.  

[JoeSmoe]

Update: Received a phone call today from my polygrapher saying that I needed to come in for another polygraph, (Specific question test) because I showed a response to the drug question.  Does this mean that I failed my first polygraph or that it was inconclusive?  Since I'm being given a specific polygraph test to the drug question, does that mean that I have a chance to clear up any response that may have been made or am I already doomed?  Any information would be greatly appreciated.

[sackett]

Joe,

it means you (probably) showed significant reactivity to that particular question and they want to clear it up.

Go in, tell the truth and you'll be fine.

No, it does not mean you are doomed.  If that were the case, they wouldn't have called you back.

Good luck,

Sackett

[JoeSmoe]

Thanks for the reply sackett

[notguilty1]

Joe, from my experience from a poly ( answering truthfully and failing) what the test is picking up is your "uncomfrotable" reaction to the question.
This, in my oppinion is not likely to change unless you are no longer "uncomfortable" with the question.
I am no expert in this I am only basing this on my personal experience and deductions.

[T.M. Cullen]

Joe,

Don't let them con you into changing your answer.

You elicited "a response" on their fancy blood pressure machine even though you answered truthfully with a "no" answer.

That alone should show you that the machine is inaccurate (i.e. you told the truth YET you showed a reaction).

NEWS FLASH!!  Their machine only measures your level of autonomic response, not your level of "truthfullness".

They're going to advise you to "open up" to them and explain to them why you'd react to the question if you're telling you the truth.  Their goal is to get you to "spill your guts" in the hope that you'll say something they can use against you.

A more LOGICAL question would be, why, since you told the truth, would THEIR MACHINE show you to be deceptive?  Is there something wrong with their machine?  Their claim is that the machine can tell whether you are being honest or not.  You were honest, yet their machine indicated "deception".  

If they ask you something like:  "Yes Mr. Smoe, but why would our machine show deception if your telling the truth?"  Tell them you have no idea, and stick to your guns.  

They will try every trick in the book to get you to "open up" and "clear things up" in a hope that you'll saying something they can use TO JUSTIFY the squiggly mark on their graph, NOT TO clear up your level of truthfulness.

DON'T FALL FOR IT!

[AnonymousFool]

Joe, what happen on your second poly? Anyways, I did want to make a comment regarding your first post. I wasn't interrogated on drugs, but I was definitely questioned very aggressively after my first poly. My nerves were so bad that I couldnt control myself. I was rescheduled 2 weeks later. Similar to your situation I think they wanted to clear up something that was of a concern to them. The second meeting was much better and I prepared mentally. From my personal experience and seening other's results. If there is any issues on the 2nd poly you will know about.  

[sackett]

Joe,

some on this board will try to convince you to "protect youself" from the abuses of the pre-employment polygraph process.  You must make the decision for yourself.  If caught "cheating", you risk no job and that will follow you elsewhere, perhaps.  If you divuldge all, you leave no reason or basis for physiological reaction and WILL pass.

One thing I must clarify. Deception includes not only what you say, but what you do not say, or what you hide, or minimize or rationalize.  This is, no doubt, the reasons for many so called, "false positives" reported on this board.


Sackett

[George W. Maschke]

If you divuldge all, you leave no reason or basis for physiological reaction and WILL pass.

You are a deluded fool if you truly believe that. There are numerous reasons why a truthful person might well react more strongly when answering the relevant questions than when answering the "control" questions, perhaps chief among them fear of the consequences of not being believed. And perversely, the person who "divulges all" when answering the control questions (his or her answers to which are secretly expected to be less than completely truthful), and as a consequence feels less anxiety when answering them, is more likely to wrongly fail this invalid test than the person who answers the control questions deceptively and then fears his deception being detected.

Examples of people who told the truth on their polygraph examinations, and were nonetheless wrongly branded as liars, are available here:

https://antipolygraph.org/statements.shtml

One thing I must clarify. Deception includes not only what you say, but what you do not say, or what you hide, or minimize or rationalize.  This is, no doubt, the reasons for many so called, "false positives" reported on this board.

Sounds like you are trying to rationalize away false positives and put the blame on the victims. The questions asked during the in-test phase of the polygraph examination are all presented, discussed, and reviewed during the pre-test phase. Although the control questions may be deliberately left ambiguous, the relevant questions should be quite clear. So the examinee's yes-or-no answers to the relevant questions are either true or false.