The polygraph..

[alex00]

Somebody confessed to this once during background. It is of course a failure.

The look on the BI's face must have been awesome. After hearing thousands of no's to get a yes on that question.

[Laser Sailor]

For anybody interested in the polygraph, either taking it or just curious take a look at the folowing link (links to a pdf book). Quite an interesting read on the poly and it's uses.

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

[Shoxg]

I was asked "Have you ever had sex with a minor?" I had to say yes because in HSWhen I turned 18 and my GF was still 17 and we had been together 3 years, but he let me explain at the end and then requestioned me with the phrase "Other then what you already have told me, have you ever......."

[biochembruin]

I would advise against studying or attempting to employ countermeasures against the polygraph. My opinion of the polygraph is not high, however they often use enough sensors to detect suspicious movement. They also typically ask if you have studied or have knowledge of countermeasure techniques. As others have said, stay very relaxed, tell the truth, and things will work themselves out.

[ankyle62]

I was asked "Have you ever had sex with a minor?" I had to say yes because in HSWhen I turned 18 and my GF was still 17 and we had been together 3 years, but he let me explain at the end and then requestioned me with the phrase "Other then what you already have told me, have you ever......."

Same thing with me, it's really awkward feeling because when they ask it you feel dirty for having to say yes but when you explain the circumstances it's normal.

[Notorious]

You fill out this huge questionnaire that goes into everything you did or could have done or would have done... then you get quizzed on it and over and over until you mess up and he gets what he wants out of you. That's what a poly is... witch hunt.

If you don't give him what he wants, he'll write inconclusive or evasive.

My polygrapher hated me. But when it's the truth, it's the truth. I'm not going to admit to stuff I didn't do. Tough cookies.

I think the poly is useless and only serves to weed out the weak and idiotic who cave to the process.

The whole setup is not meant to get the truth, but to just play a huge mindgame and see if you will start admitting stuff or if you will contradict yourself.

Just be truthful and explain everything as best you can when issues come up. You lived your life. All you can do is be honest about it and let the chips fall where they may.

[ChuckBooty]

The poly works like this; you are asked RELEVANT questions, IRRELEVANT questions and CONTROL questions.

RELEVANT- The are the questions that "they" really want to know, for example, "Have you ever smoked marijuana"

CONTROL- these are questions designed in a manner so that you will give a physiological reaction the same as if you are LYING. For example, "Have you ever betrayed someone you love"

IRRELEVANT- these are designed to throw you off. They mean nothing. For example, "Have you ever had sex with an animal"

If the RELEVANT questions give a HIGHER reading than the CONTROL questions, you are deemed to be untruthful. If the RELEVANT questions read LOWER than the CONTROL questions, you are deemed to be truthful. If the CONTROL questions read the SAME than the RELEVANT questions, the test is deemed to be inconclusive.

If you recognize the CONTROL questions, and give an EXAGGERATED reaction (pucker up your butt, breath heavily, and stress yourself out for about ten seconds following the control question), your CONTROL results will be VERY high. What this means is that the answers to the RELEVANT questions, regardless of your truthfulness, will read LOWER than the CONTROL questions, and you will be deemed truthful.

It's science kids.

[Foriegn power]

Ggtt

[GettoPhilosopher]

From what I remember of mine they confirmed that my answers were truthful on my Personal History Questionnaire. After that I was asked a few questions about stealing, drug use, prostitution and violence. Its been 15 years, so the questions have surely changed, but the themes should remain the same.

So "there was this one time in Vegas/Mexico/etc" gets you DQ'ed, eh? ;D

[deadcoyote]

I was wondering what are some of the questions they ask you during the polygraph phase of the hiring process?

No BS the guy actually asked me if I had ever had sex with any animals. Really though, I don't know if it's the same everywhere but I basically had to do a lengthy interview while not hooked up to the machine then the time hooked up to the box was just the examiner asking in several different ways if I lied on anything discussed during the interview portion. FWIW, our county has now switched to VSA as its cheaper. Supposedly its alot less reliable though.

[R8DRFAN]

Thanks guys for all the replies, It makes me feel a little better about the whole process..

[SarcoBlaster]

The first thing I was asked before being hooked up to anything was whether or not I had read anything instructing me how to beat a polygraph. I told him I had not, but did read up on how a polygraph machine works, what physiological responses it monitors, etc. and he seemed to be fine with that and didn't press me any more.

The actual exam consisted of questions that were based off of the pre-polygraph questionnaire I had to fill out and bring with me. Some of the items on the questionnaire covered prior/current drug use, theft, etc. He told me he would ask a series of questions (some relevant, some not) and I would be asked the same series of questions, albeit in a different order, a second time to check for inconsistencies.

The last thing I was asked after I had all the stuff taken off was, "Why would you fail this polygraph exam?" That kind of blindsided me, but I told him, "I wouldn't because I was being completely truthful." He then told me, "Well, then you have nothing to worry about," smiled, thanked me for coming in, and told me he'd forward my results to the department.

Overall experience was nowhere near as bad as I thought it was going to be. The guy didn't treat it like an interrogation and I had absolutely nothing to hide.

Oh yeah, I passed because they never asked about any dead hookers in the trunk of my car.