Posted on 04/10/2015 5:39:30 PM PDT by Second Amendment First
“A polygraph is nothing more than a psychological billy club used to coerce and intimidate people,” says Doug Williams, a former Oklahoma City police detective and polygraph examiner who for 36 years has trained people to pass the lie-detector test. The first step is not to be intimidated. Most tests include two types of questions: relevant ones about a specific incident (“Did you leak classified information to The New York Times?”) and broader so-called control questions (“Have you ever lied to anyone who trusted you?”). The test assumes that an innocent person telling the truth will have a stronger reaction to the control questions than to the relevant ones. Before your test, practice deciphering between the two question types. “Go to the beach” when you hear a relevant question, Williams says. Calm yourself before answering by imagining gentle waves and warm sand.
When you get a control question, which is more general, envision the scariest thing you can in order to trigger physiological distress; the polygraph’s tubes around your chest measure breathing, the arm cuff monitors heart rate and electrodes attached to you fingertips detect perspiration. What is your greatest fear? Falling? Drowning? Being buried alive? “Picture that,” Williams says. He used to advise trainees to clench their anus but has since concluded that terrifying mental imagery works better.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
they probably have a sensor probe inserted in there...
“And what is that, for us non-EEs?”
A polygraph machine is electronic. Any technician or engineer worth his salt can ‘tweak’ a polygraph machine so that it will say anything you want it to say. As Another poster said, a polygraph machine is just another way of intimidating people.
EE = Electrical Engineer or the ‘clinical’ definition is B.S.E.E. ;-)
“First of all, what is an EE? How would you go about making the machine give the report that the examiner is lying about his name?”
A polygraph machine is electronic. Any technician or engineer worth his salt can ‘tweak’ a polygraph machine so that it will say anything you want it to say. As Another poster said, a polygraph machine is just another way of intimidating people.
EE = Electrical Engineer or the ‘clinical’ definition is B.S.E.E. ;-)
No, do not give the police anything if you suspect that they think you are guilty of something, even though you know you have done nothing wrong. The correct response is: “It appears to me that you think I have done something, therefore I would like to have an attorney present before this interview goes any further.” Do not give them anything, no fingerprints, no DNA, no statement. Do not let them into your house or your car, or anything. You do not know what is going on their minds, what they are looking for, and with the best of intentions, and with all innocence, you could find you have dug yourself into such a deep hole, you cannot climb out of it.
polygraphs pretty much only work on the weak minded, sort of like Jedi mind-tricks.
When I was 13, a retired copy told me how to beat a polygraph, at least to render the results ambiguous. He said to put a tack in your shoe and press the tack into your foot randomly. There’s lots of other tricks, mostly involving drugs.
One of the most interesting aspects to polygraphs is that they don’t work at all on true sociopaths who can lie up a storm and not move the needles one scintilla.
The results are open to interpretation. They could also later on re-arrange the order of the questions and point to one where the lines are more wavy.
DON'T TAKE IT........Period.
You’re exactly right. Many people fail them because they are intimidated and believe that the test actually indicates a “lie.” But a “lie” is actually whatever physiological indicators the test makers deem to be indicative of not telling the truth, i.e., increase in breathing rate, increase in blood pressure, increased movements as demonstrated through galvanic skin response. This may indicate deception, but more than anything it indicates degree of nervousness, which may have nothing to do with deception.
I guess that rules out using one on Clinton (either one) or Obama.
You lied the first time.
Heehee! I’ve been on this planet a good while, yet I think that probably was the first time I ever attempted to spell that word.
bump
Great video. Thanks for sharing.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.