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How to Beat a Polygraph Test
NY Times ^ | April 10, 2015 | MALIA WOLLAN

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 ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events
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To: Second Amendment First

they probably have a sensor probe inserted in there...


41 posted on 04/10/2015 8:22:24 PM PDT by faithhopecharity (A brilliantly intelligent comment sent thru an amazingly stupid spell checker)
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To: PistolPaknMama

“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. ;-)


42 posted on 04/10/2015 8:31:11 PM PDT by spel_grammer_an_punct_polise (Why does every totalitarian, political hack think that he knows how to run my life better than I do?)
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To: Nevadan

“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. ;-)


43 posted on 04/10/2015 8:33:36 PM PDT by spel_grammer_an_punct_polise (Why does every totalitarian, political hack think that he knows how to run my life better than I do?)
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To: Gay State Conservative

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.


44 posted on 04/10/2015 8:35:44 PM PDT by erkelly
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To: Second Amendment First

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.


45 posted on 04/10/2015 8:37:13 PM PDT by catnipman (Cat Nipman: Vote Republican in 2012 and only be called racist one more time!)
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To: Nevadan

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.


46 posted on 04/10/2015 8:40:33 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: Second Amendment First
How to Beat a Polygraph Test

DON'T TAKE IT........Period.

47 posted on 04/10/2015 8:41:04 PM PDT by terycarl (common sense prevails over all)
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To: Signalman

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.


48 posted on 04/10/2015 8:44:19 PM PDT by JGT
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To: catnipman
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.

I guess that rules out using one on Clinton (either one) or Obama.

49 posted on 04/10/2015 10:08:27 PM PDT by zeugma ( The Clintons Could Find a Loophole in a Stop Sign)
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To: Signalman

You lied the first time.


50 posted on 04/10/2015 10:13:31 PM PDT by FredZarguna (It looks just like a Telefunken U-47 -- with leather.)
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To: MilesVeritatis

51 posted on 04/10/2015 10:48:17 PM PDT by FredZarguna (It looks just like a Telefunken U-47 -- with leather.)
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To: FredZarguna

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.


52 posted on 04/10/2015 11:30:44 PM PDT by MilesVeritatis (Devote yourself to the truth, no matter where it leads you.)
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To: Second Amendment First

bump


53 posted on 04/11/2015 7:21:03 AM PDT by gibsosa
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To: Darren McCarty

Great video. Thanks for sharing.


54 posted on 04/11/2015 7:31:31 AM PDT by Gamecock (Why do bad things happen to good people? That only happened once, and He volunteered. R.C. Sproul)
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