BEST WAY TO PASS THE TEST

[T.M. Cullen]

For those about to be tested.  Here are what I feel are four important guidelines for passing the polygraph.

1.  SUSPEND CRITICAL JUDGEMENT.  This is essential.  Don't trust your own mind.  You may THINK you are telling the truth, but be careful, the mind is a funny thing.  Don't trust it!

2.  TRUST THE POLYGRAPHER.  He/she is there to help.  They certainly would not lie to you.  They are some of the most honest, straightforward people out there.

3.  OPEN UP.  The more you talk, the better your chances of passing.  This is critical regarding RELEVANT questions.  If you are told you are reacting to such a question, the best thing you can do is come up with ANYTHING you feel might be causing a reaction to a relevant question.   No matter how insignificant you may think it is, just get it out there.  This is important!  Don't worry, the polygrapher has no interest whatsoever in using what you say against you.

4.  BELIEVE IN THE PROCESS.  It is totally scientific.  This has been proven time and time again.  I saw it on Dr. Phil!

[sackett]

For those about to be tested.  Here are what I feel are four important guidelines for passing the polygraph.

1.  SUSPEND CRITICAL JUDGEMENT.  This is essential.  Don't trust your own mind.  You may THINK you are telling the truth, but be careful, the mind is a funny thing.  Don't trust it!

2.  TRUST THE POLYGRAPHER.  He/she is there to help.  They certainly would not lie to you.  They are some of the most honest, straightforward people out there.

3.  OPEN UP.  The more you talk, the better your chances of passing.  This is critical regarding RELEVANT questions.  If you are told you are reacting to such a question, the best thing you can do is come up with ANYTHING you feel might be causing a reaction to a relevant question.   No matter how insignificant you may think it is, just get it out there.  This is important!  Don't worry, the polygrapher has no interest whatsoever in using what you say against you.

4.  BELIEVE IN THE PROCESS.  It is totally scientific.  This has been proven time and time again.  I saw it on Dr. Phil!

Mr Cullen,

the only thing "relevant" is your desire to be just that; relevant to this board.


Sackett

[pailryder]

Gee Mr Cullen, I thought Dr. Lethe was the only anti who lacked a  sense of humor.  Don't give up the day job.

[T.M. Cullen]

I knew I'd get at least a couple of cat calls from the polycrappers on that one.

But I am surprise you don't like my advice.



TC

[Lethe]

Gee Mr Cullen, I thought Dr. Lethe was the only anti who lacked a  sense of humor.  Don't give up the day job.

What's wrong with my sense of humor?  It's awesome!

Anyway, the best way to pass the polygraph is to be ignorant and to place your faith it in as your personal lord and savior.  I can't say that I'm a fellow believer however, Brother Pailryder.

Dr. Lethe, PhD

[T.M. Cullen]

I can't say that I'm a fellow believer however, Brother Pailryder.

Your torment shall be eternal!

[Lethe]

I can't say that I'm a fellow believer however, Brother Pailryder.

Your torment shall be eternal!

I'm not afraid, T.M.  To slightly paraphrase one enemy of polygraphers: Question with boldness even the polygraph; because, if God is real, God must more approve the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear.  That same person swore "upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man."  It is thus easy to see why polygraphers despise him so.

[sackett]

Not dissimilar to the addage that, if you don't believe in God, you better be right...

If you don't belive in polygraph (and take one) you better be truthful, else you be judged a liar!

See!  It all works out in the end...


Sackett

[T.M. Cullen]

If you don't belive in polygraph (and take one) you better be truthful, else you be judged a liar!

That assumes that the polygraph can detect lies, which it can't.

The more you believe in the myth of the polygraph, the more naive and gullible you'll be, and, consequently, more likely to come up false positive.

TC

[pailryder]

Mr Cullen

Lethe argues just the opposite, that the more you know and the less you believe "the myth" the more likely you will be false positive. You can't both be right.  

[T.M. Cullen]

The goal of the polygrapher is to get the test subject to believe it can detect deception.  He wants to convince the person being test that he must get everything off his/her chest, or else the "magic box" will pick up on it.  That is the "mantra", to just fully disclose everything.  At any rate, the goal is to get the person "talking".

So, even though the test subject knows he/she is telling the truth, they  let the polygrapher con them into  suspending their critical judgement momentarily and question their own mind.  Gee, I know I'm telling the truth, but maybe, just maybe there IS something bothering me!  Better start talking!

The goal is to get them to provide the rope the polygrapher needs to hang him.

The smart thing to do is KNOW you are telling the truth, that the machine DOESN'T necessarily detect deception, and that the polygrapher is just playing mind games.

So the more you know about the con job the better.

It is alot like going to a used car lot knowing the little "games" the salesman plays.  

If you don't know a con game is going on, there is a very good chance YOU are the one being conned!

TC

[sackett]

Mr Cullen,

wrong!  I do not care if the examinee believes in the polygraph, I know it works!  Those I test can attest to that statement from me.

The problem is that "you people" believe a particular mantra and can't get past it.  Well, you preach on!  The more you think you know, the "better" the information provided to the masses, the easier it is to catch those who would otherwise pass; but, thanks to you and your ilk will fail or go N/O and not get the job anyway... I don't care, I have a job!

Besides, your recruitment techniques are working fine.

Sackett

[Lethe]

Mr Cullen,

wrong!  I do not care if the examinee believes in the polygraph, I know it works!  Those I test can attest to that statement from me.

The problem is that "you people" believe a particular mantra and can't get past it.  Well, you preach on!  The more you think you know, the "better" the information provided to the masses, the easier it is to catch those who would otherwise pass; but, thanks to you and your ilk will fail or go N/O and not get the job anyway... I don't care, I have a job!

Besides, your recruitment techniques are working fine.

Sackett

Sackett admits that he doesn't care if he fails people who answer the relevant questions with 100% honesty.  He doesn't care if he screws up someone's life.  He's already got his.

This attitude is very widespread among the polygraph community.  Their job is to find who is lying on the relevant questions but they don't care if they don't do this.

Think about that.  They don't get paid to find out who doesn't like the polygraph; they're not hired to find out who has done research on the polygraph; they don't get paid to see who has "ever told a lie even once ever".  However, they take great pride in doing all of those things.  They appear much less concerned about finding out who is lying on the relevant questions, which was initially their sole purpose for existing.  Now they just exist to exist and suck money and resources out of society while defending themselves.

[Lethe]

Mr Cullen

Lethe argues just the opposite, that the more you know and the less you believe "the myth" the more likely you will be false positive. You can't both be right.  

I'm impressed to see my views represented with only slight modifications, and those appear non-malicious.  

My argument is that all else being equal a subject who knows how the PLCQ test works who doesn't attempt countermeasures is less likely to produce accurate results than an ignorant subject.  

Once countermeasures are included you've introduced a large number of other variables that make it difficult to generalize.  But, as polygraphers readily admit, countermeasures cannot be reliably detected.

[T.M. Cullen]

Sackett,

Is the info contained in the NAS report a "mantra"?

You know as well as I do that the purpose of a preemployment/periodic polygraph is to "fluster" the testee, and see what you can get out of him.

So how is volunteering information going to help?

You don't like that because it goes against YOUR mantra that the more the test subject says the better.

What garbage!

Either a person has maintained an unauthorized foreign contact, or they haven't.  A consistent reaction on the machine doesn't prove otherwise, no matter what you might think.

Call it a mantra if you must.  But it's a factual mantra backed by the scientific community.

But hey, like you say, you've still got yer job.  Thanks for demonstrating to us all your self-serving attitude.  An attitude shared by many of your cohorts, I suppose....

TC