General Polygraph Countermeasures
This page on general polygraph countermeasures is the last
of six pages of specific "how to beat the test" instructions,
which started here Passing
a Polygraph. The longer discussion, meaning the entire e-book
used to create this website starts here: Pass
a Polygraph or Else. All the pages of the site are listed
on the Beat a
Lie Detector Test Homepage.
Prepare
Determine what kind of questions you are going to be asked.
Usually a polygraph test is given to uncover specific information,
like who committed a crime, or how it was done. Pre-employment
polygraph testing may have less specific questions, but based
on the nature of the position you are applying for, you still
should be able to guess at some of the questions.
Be prepared then, with an idea of what you can and can't admit.
A clear understanding of what the relevant questions will be
helps you quickly identify the control questions. In the case
of the pre-employment polygraph, you may want to get a copy of
the employee handbook to see what company policies are. Then
you will know what admissions might exclude you from the job.
Make No Admissions
Make no relevant admissions. The examiner may ask you why
you responded so strongly to a question, or otherwise indicate
that he thinks you are lying. This is usually a trick to get
you to explain and possibly make a damaging admission. Don't
take the bait.
Answering yes to some minor control questions is okay. You
do want to convey the image of an honest and innocent person.
However, don't say more than yes, or say anything that will cause
the examiner to question you further, or seem relevant to the
matter at hand.
Yes Or No Only
Avoid any temptation to explain an answer. Cooperate and be
courteous, but don't ever offer more information than is necessary.
Answer quickly and strive to appear serious and helpful, but
keep those answers short.
Don't Reveal Your Polygraph Knowledge
Unless you have already used you knowledge of polygraph testing
in an attempt to be excused from the test (see the page, Passing a Polygraph), don't
mention what you know. Studying the polygraph may be taken as
an indication that you intent to lie. This can influence the
examiners interpretation and persistence. Let the examiner think
that you fully believe in the efficacy of the polygraph.
Be Prepared For The Post-Test Interview
After the test, there will often be more questions. The examiner
will use this interrogation time to suggest that the test indicated
you may have lied or hidden information regarding a few questions.
This is generally a ruse, a trick to get you to confess, or to
explain more and give damaging admissions.
Expect this, and stay calm. Don't change your answers or add
anything to them. Try to appear concerned and helpful, but don't
volunteer anything.
Ideally, you should just avoid the whole post-test interview
if possible. If you can do so without appearing too suspicious,
ask if this is a required part of the test, and say that you
are in a hurry to get somewhere (but have a good story ready
before you start it). You might want to try saying something
like, "I understood that the test was over. I'll be happy
to call and answer any other questions later, but I have an appointment
to get to." Be polite.
Practice Polygraph Countermeasures
If you are serious about passing your polygraph test, don't
just read this book. Practice the countermeasures here. Bite
your tongue while looking in the mirror, to see if it is noticeable.
Practice breathing steadily at 10 to 20 breaths per minute, so
you'll know you can do it during the test.
Practice is especially important with the physiological countermeasures.
Erratic changes in the chart may cause the examiner to suspect
that you are trying to use countermeasures. Don't try too hard
to be calm, however. You are expected to be nervous, and this
will show in your "baseline." Nervousness is okay,
as long as you react more strongly to the control questions than
the relevant ones.
Be Ready For Head Games
The examiner may a number of mind games on you. He may pretend
he's your friend, and that all you have to do is relax and answer
honestly. He is not your friend, and you should not get into
a conversation with him (except possibly, a non-relevant rapport-building
conversation, if this is allowed). Friendly banter during the
pre-exam interview may lead him to find questions to ask that
will hurt you.
Another common ploy is to make you more afraid. Greater fear
of detection, and more belief in the polygraph are thought by
examiners to lead to greater responses to relevant questions.
Just remember that it is all a game of intimidation.
Play Dirty
Mess with the examiner's head. One speculative ploy, which
to my knowledge hasn't been tried, involves letting the examiner
stumble upon an article about a huge lawsuit resulting from polygraph
false-positive results. This could be a real or created article,
and could be left where he would see it, or mailed to his home
if one knew the examiner's name in advance.
The idea (unproven), is that planting the idea of huge trouble
for a an incorrectly administered test in his mind will affect
him. He might err on the side of caution when interpreting the
results. He may even rule a test "inconclusive" that
he otherwise would have classified as "deceptive,"
or find an "inconclusive" test to be "passed."
Note:
There is no evidence to show that operators can detect these
polygraph countermeasures. If you combine behavioral techniques
with well-executed physiological techniques, the operator can
be fooled, and should have no reason to think you are lying.
Polygraph is more art than science,
and unless an admission is obtained, the final determination
is frequently what we refer to as a scientific wild-ass guess
(SWAG). - Retired CIA polygrapher
John F. Sullivan
Beat a Lie
Detector Test | General Polygraph Countermeasures |
