Nervous sensual people cannot pass a polygraph. Does the lie detector always show us the truth? How to pass a polygraph to your advantage
This assessment method is becoming more and more popular. It is used not only by special services, but also by employers when selecting candidates for vacancies. Many are afraid of this procedure. We want to assure you that it is quite possible to pass a polygraph without unnecessary problems. This will require some preparation, acting skills and the ability to control the reactions of your body will come in handy. The ability to abstract and switch thoughts can help.
But with chemical and pharmacological agents, you should be careful. There is a possibility of harming your health and creating a bad impression.
How the lie detector works
The modern polygraph is a complex technical device. Outwardly, it looks like a computer with many sensors that are connected to the subject.
The device simultaneously registers several different reactions of the body when answering questions. Among them:
- blood pressure;
- pulse;
- breathing rhythm;
- skin resistance;
- changes in different parts of the cerebral cortex.
At the beginning of the session, the expert asks general questions, usually related to biographical data. They are needed in order to configure the device for a specific person. Record his reactions to neutral questions. At the same time, the subject gets used to the testing situation.
- Have you taken drugs?
- Have you stolen at work?
- Do you have debts?
- Were there any convictions?
- Are there links with competing organizations?
If the subject is lying, the reactions of the body give him away: his hands sweat, the rhythm of heart contractions and breathing changes, and pressure surges occur. Sensors record all this and display the information on the screen in the form of graphs. An expert on sharp drops concludes that a person is lying.
The session ends with security questions. They are needed by experts in order to once again verify the correct operation of the device and relieve the stress of the subject.
Lie detector test procedure
Before starting, the polygraph examiner gives detailed instructions to the subject and connects the sensors. The duration of the candidate screening session is several hours. If the expert suspects the subject of trying to trick the device, it can drag on even longer.
How to pass a lie detector
It should be remembered that without your consent, no one has the right to force you to take a polygraph. It does not matter in what situation such a need arose. You must first be asked to sign the consent. If you are unsure of your abilities, it is better to refuse immediately.
When preparing for a lie detector, you should consider the advice of a polygraph examiner:
- sleep well;
- Do not be scared;
- follow the instructions;
- answer questions clearly and precisely .
And a few more tips from the polygraph examiner:
- It is necessary to take a comfortable posture without unnecessary tension. Immediately warn if any factors cause discomfort. Movement during the session should be minimal.
- In order to correctly pass the polygraph, do not rush to answer the question until you have listened to it to the end and understood the meaning. But don't think too long.
- Don't dive too deep into your memories. If, when asked about theft, you go over the events of childhood, when in the sandbox you borrowed a spatula from a neighbor without permission or mistakenly took a pen home from work, nothing good will come of it.
- Do not interrupt the polygraph examiner and do not argue with him. Do not seek to evaluate how the specialist reacts to your words, whether he believes them. Don't ask him questions. Especially it is not necessary to specify whether the polygraph can make a mistake. This question calls into question the significance and professionalism of the polygraph examiner. Automatically causes negative emotions in your address.
- Be confident and kind. The polygraph examiner will interpret the results. If he has a favorable impression of you, it will probably have a positive effect on the polygraph test report.
How to cheat a polygraph
If you still have something to hide, some tricks can help not to give yourself away. Although they are not easy to apply.
First of all, you should overcome your fear of the procedure. So it will be much easier to control the responses, emotions and indicators of the body.
From the very first question, you should evoke non-standard reactions in yourself. This effect can be obtained through:
- pain sensations (pinching, scratches, injections with a button);
- sedatives;
- a state of fatigue or drowsiness;
- emotional thoughts;
- bladder overflow.
Thus, fluctuations in physiological responses when answering obvious questions will be quite high. They will be accepted as normal. Bursts when answering meaningful questions will seem less contrasting.
As noted above, the lie detector does not react to the lie itself, but to your reaction. Believe in what you say. If a person is absolutely convinced of the truth of his words, the excitement is minimal. No wonder they believe that the best way to deceive a lie detector is obtained from actors and pathological liars.
Think over your story in advance, all the subtleties and details, motives. Rehearse the lie detector procedure with someone close to you. Preferably several times. Let your assistant evaluate how natural and harmonious the answers to compromising questions sound.
Control of physiological responses
There are several techniques that will allow you to control physiological reactions:
- Your palms will sweat less when answering uncomfortable questions if pre-treated with a special ointment based on salicylic acid or alcohol. You can find the remedy in any pharmacy. First, you should test it. The smell may give you away.
- We must not forget about the frequency of inhalations and exhalations. This is one of the physiological indicators that can be learned to control. However, it takes practice.
- Another method - focus on a neutral object. Let your thoughts be occupied by some painting with a neutral plot, for example, a still life with fruit. When answering all questions, think about what is shown on it, how the frame looks. This will lower the emotionality.
- The method of replacing questions works in a similar way.. Mentally change the question of the polygraph examiner and answer it.
- Alcohol, sedatives, sedatives, drugs to lower and increase pressure, of course, will complicate the work of the lie detector. The main thing is not to overdo it. This can negatively affect the state of health or cause suspicion.
Who can't take a polygraph?
Lie detector test - strong psychological stress. There are several categories of people who are categorically contraindicated in its passage:
- women in expectation of a child;
- people with mental disabilities;
- persons with serious diseases of the body;
- children.
The point is not that the results can be unreliable. Excitement during the procedure can adversely affect their health and cause dangerous consequences.
Candidates with colds, signs of overwork, in a state of alcohol or drug intoxication are also not allowed to test. It is pointless to believe such a study..
If you agreed to a lie detector, but in the process you realize that your heart is bursting out of your chest, stress is going through the roof, ask to stop the procedure. You shouldn't put yourself at risk.
The main mistakes of candidates
- Without emotionality.
It is not correct to believe that the complete absence emotional reactions to all questions - the best solution to the problem. Most likely, the expert will suspect that something is wrong, and the result will not be counted. The employer, although they will not receive confirmation, will be sure that you are hiding something.
- From a hangover or podshofe.
The state of intoxication or a hangover can mislead the polygraph. But, it is highly likely that a candidate who appears in this form for verification will still be refused even without a lie detector. An employee who drinks is even worse for an employer than one who hides the truth.
- If you can't lie - don't take it!
Experienced polygraph examiners know about the methods of deception, try to identify and prevent them. Before testing, the candidate may be asked to undergo an inspection for the presence of foreign objects: buttons, paper clips, pins. It will be quite difficult to explain the presence of a sharp clerical object in your shoe.
If the expert notices that you are focused on extraneous thoughts, the verification procedure can be very long. Even in this case, the results may be recognized as unreliable, and you will never get the coveted position.
Can a polygraph be wrong?
Proponents of the lie detector tend to use it in any ambiguous situation. For example, they use a polygraph at work in order to identify unscrupulous employees, to identify a troublemaker or a thief.
However, disputes regarding the reliability of the test results do not subside. Some experts fully believe in its capabilities, others argue that the device fails in 50% of cases.
The assertion that the polygraph does not make mistakes is very convenient for intimidating test-takers. It is also beneficial to those who sell lie assessment services using a detector. But this does not confirm the absolute effectiveness of the device. For example, courts in most countries do not accept instrument readings as evidence.
Psychologist, family therapist, career coach. Member of the Federation of Consultant Psychologists of Russia and a member of the professional Guild of Psychotherapy and Training.
If you think that a polygraph test does not threaten you, then you can be very seriously mistaken, especially since this device is often used even when applying for a job.
It goes without saying that not everyone wants to tell the truth, which is why there are a lot of ways to outwit the lie detector. By the way, it is not so difficult, the main thing is to understand the mechanism.
We will now talk about how to keep your secrets to yourself and successfully, seamlessly pass a polygraph.
Often lies are told in secret in order to find out the truth.
Pierre Buast
Turn on artistry
Of course, the best option is a quality acting game according to the Stanislavsky system. The whole trick is to be so imbued with your lie that you yourself believe in it.
Agree, if you believe in fiction, then this is no longer a lie for you, which means that your body will perceive this information as true, therefore it will give the appropriate result to the specialist conducting the test.
It goes without saying that for this it is simply necessary to think through all aspects of your deception in advance, so much so that you can discuss this topic for a very long time without inventing a plot along the way, but as if remembering it:
- Add little things to your story, like what the weather was like, what you smelled - just don't overdo it and don't get distracted from the main topic.
If you already undertook to deceive a polygraph with the help of acting, then emotions will definitely not be superfluous, they only need to be changed, turning fear into anger, and repentance into humility.
Physiology
Now let's move on to blood pressure, which also needs to be controlled.There are two ways to do this:
- contraction of the sphincter muscles
- biting the tip of the tongue.
Just remember that you need to do this without any additional facial expressions that can give you away.
More, control your breathing- under normal conditions, we take a breath no more than once every 2-4 seconds. And it's better not to delay him- there is a risk of heart palpitations.
Secret #1
Updated: There is a long-standing myth that it is possible to deceive a lie detector with a pushpin.The gist of the scam is this:
- Place a push pin inside your shoe under your foot.
- When you are asked any Security Question, such as "What's your name?", answer and step on the button.
- Pain causes a small surge of emotion and is reflected in the detector readings as if you were telling a lie. Thus, when telling a real lie, the readings on the device will be the same or similar, and it will seem that you are telling the truth. Those. the sensors will respond to lies in the same way as to a question about your name.
- The polygraph examiner does not notice anything strange in almost identical polygraph readings and gives you a positive resolution.
Is it worth it?
It can be concluded that successfully passing a lie detector test is not that easy, but quite real, you only need a sincere desire and patience. But, the answer to the question of whether it is worth doing this, each person must give himself.One thing is true in any case: if you have made a firm decision to successfully pass the test and deceive the polygraph, then try to do it efficiently, otherwise serious problems and long clarifications about what exactly you wanted to hide cannot be avoided.
Once upon a time, priests and shamans were the main polygraph examiners. It was their duty to search for the truth and expose the liars. For this, the servants of ancient cults, in addition to insight, needed a sensitive ear and a delicate scent. For example, in India, in order to find out if a person was telling the truth, every time the subject was answering questions, the subject was forced to strike a gong. It was believed that liars control the force of impact worse - and the gong sounds louder. In African tribes, priests sniffed the suspects. The thought of their guilt as a shaman was suggested by the pungent smell of sweat - the excitement made the liars sweat especially hard.
In China, a handful of dry rice was put in the mouth of an alleged criminal and the accusations were read out. Then the suspect would spit out the rice, and the judge would look to see if it was dry or wet: observant Celestials noticed that excitement suppressed salivation. The Arabs were in complete agreement with the Chinese. Only instead of rice they used a red-hot blade. The accused was offered to lick hot steel. If a burn appeared on the tongue, the person was recognized as a liar. It was believed that a large amount of saliva in the mouth would protect the delicate skin in contact with a red-hot iron.
Well, the creator of the device, vaguely reminiscent of a modern polygraph, was an Italian psychiatrist Cesare Lombroso. It was he who first thought of recognizing a lie by measuring the suspect's pulse.
Over time, lie detectors improved, and now they are able to record not only the heart rate, but also breathing, brain activity, sweating intensity, trembling of the limbs - about 50 physiological parameters in total.
Technology doesn't lie?
But how reliable are the polygraph data? There is still no exact answer to this question. The point is that a lot depends on psychological features test subjects and the qualifications of the specialist who conducts the test.
After all, the device, although it is called a lie detector, is not able to recognize lies. It only measures the degree of anxiety of the suspect, and each person reacts to stress in his own way. In addition, there are no strict parameters for interpreting the results either, and each polygraph examiner interprets the readings of the device to the best of his knowledge and skills. That is why a polygraph test can give erroneous results. For example, in 1987, the American television company CBS invited experts to investigate the theft of an expensive camera. Several polygraph examiners on different days checked the company's employees, trying to find out who was to blame for the missing equipment. The authorities, before testing, told the invited experts about their suspicions about this or that employee. But in fact, there was no theft, and the employees of the television company honestly declared their innocence. As a result, all the inspectors pointed to exactly those people whose possible involvement was reported in advance. This is not surprising, because the specialist who conducts the test is also affected by emotions, including prejudice or pity. These feelings can interfere with the correct interpretation of the instrument readings.
Trick me!
Can a polygraph be fooled? First you need to understand how this thing works. During the test, a person is asked a series of questions, some of which are completely neutral. These questions are necessary in order to measure the initial reactions of the subject and understand how they change at the moment of excitement. It is believed that confusing a tricky device, although difficult, is still real. For example, in a sleepy person or in someone who is experiencing a hangover, all reactions will be inhibited and the manifestations of fear of exposure will be blurred.
Some deceivers suggest artificially increasing muscle tension at the moment when you need to lie. To do this, you can press your big toes on the floor, squeeze the muscles of the anal sphincter, bite the tip of the tongue.
The results of the test will also be incorrect if certain medications are taken the day before, for example, heart rhythm alterers or sedatives.
Polygraph examiners assure that an experienced specialist can easily recognize all these tricks. Whether this is so is unknown. But the history of a certain Floyd Fairy, unfairly convicted of murder after a lie detector test. It took Floyd several years behind bars to establish his innocence. During his imprisonment, he carefully studied the principle of the polygraph and taught his comrades in misfortune to deceive the device. In the end, 23 of Floyd's 27 students successfully passed a polygraph test, although they were guilty of various crimes.
It has also been proven that pathological liars and psychopaths often pass polygraph tests without any difficulty. The former are so accustomed to lying that they do not experience any stress when pronouncing another portion lies, and the latter are simply not afraid of being exposed.
That is why polygraph tests in most countries of the world, including Russia, are not considered as evidence in court.
Polygraph studies (lie detector) are primarily associated with films about the CIA. In fact, it is used in many Russian organizations - from government to commercial. In Moscow, polygraph examiners are often approached by people who suspect their spouses of infidelity, and such a study is quite affordable even for the middle class. This was told The Village by a polygraph examiner with five years of experience, currently working in the civil service.
What does it take to become a polygraph examiner?
I graduated from the Military University with a degree in military psychology and the Academy of the FSB (operational activities), then for several years I worked in the army on a contract basis. When my position was reduced, I went to study as a polygraph examiner. In principle, to learn how to work with a lie detector, you do not need to have any special higher education- both engineers and former employees of law enforcement agencies are engaged in this. I was lucky that I am a psychologist, I did not have to spend a lot of time on mastering the psychological part of the curriculum.
The training, together with practice, took nine months, and for five years now I have been working in a new profession.
In all schools, training to become a polygraph examiner costs differently. I bought equipment for myself, and together with the payment for the courses, my expenses for retraining amounted to 250 thousand rubles. My polygraph is inexpensive - 120 thousand rubles. The most expensive lie detector in Russia costs 350 thousand. This is all domestic equipment. The alternative is American, but we do not work on it, because, firstly, the entire interface is in English, and secondly, the Americans have the same principles, but ours have gone further.
All polygraphs, regardless of price, look approximately the same: a device weighing about 500 grams, in a plastic or metal case, is connected on one side to a computer, on the other side, sensors are attached to a person. The difference between inexpensive and expensive polygraphs is how they produce results. It is clear that the curves are the same everywhere, but one of the devices simply builds scales, and the other immediately gives out the stressful state of a person. In more expensive models, you can open several windows at once, swipe comparative characteristic, and in those that are simpler, he himself is forced to consider something. Some polygraphs already contain a database of questions and automatically transfer them to tests, and in some you have to do it manually - the person in front of you is sitting, waiting, time is running out. Not to mention that some models do not work with the latest "Windows". By the way, Americans have lie detectors that work with Macs, we don't.
The most advanced Russian polygraph is Diana, especially version 7. Even the Americans say that this is a very worthy polygraph. I worked with the latest American Lafayette polygraph - it didn’t surprise me at all, according to the information reading sensors, ours are even better. For some reason, Americans are now trying to go to wireless polygraphs - in my opinion, this will not lead to anything good. They want the sensors to be attached to a person, and the polygraph itself would not be attached to a computer. But the signal can still be lost, and how accurately will the detector show the results then?
Chats with Americans and the sect "Magnet"
According to my data, about 30 people graduate from Moscow schools of polygraph examiners every six months. We have a chat in Telegram, there are about 500 permanent members. Taking into account those who do not communicate, it turns out, I think, about 2 thousand.
In addition to Moscow, in Russia they teach polygraph examiners in Novosibirsk and Krasnodar.
Novosibirsk has a strong school, they often invite specialists from abroad, including Americans. And in Krasnodar they teach according to their own method, which was developed in the Magnit network. We here consider this to be quackery, but they work on it, and if someone in Krasnodar deviates from their teaching, they take it with hostility. Such is the sect "Magnet".
In the international chat on WhatsApp, we have 180 active members (you can’t make a group more than 200 people there). But the sanctions on the communication of Russian and American polygraph examiners greatly influenced. Recently I was at an international conference of polygraph examiners, the Americans came there and very reservedly told us what we basically already know: “Oh, we haven’t had our own developments for several years.” But the Czechs and Bulgarians who go to international conferences in Europe say: “Yes, they all talk, share,” but, probably, not with us.
Well, God bless them, because the Americans in recent times, to be honest, we went not quite in that steppe. For example, if we list possible murder weapons - a screwdriver, an axe, a handle, a fork, a hand - and a person has a physiological reaction to a screwdriver, this does not mean that he is lying. Maybe he has some personal memories connected with the screwdriver. The Americans immediately say: this is a lie. Our psychobiologists work based on the works of the famous Soviet scientist Alexander Romanovich Luria, and everything is simple with him: significance is a reaction, that is, something can be significant for a person, because it is a memory, an association, a fear of a false accusation, a traumatic factor. It is very difficult to get a person out of a state of trauma, especially if he witnessed violence, especially sexual violence - they will definitely give a reaction on the polygraph as involved. The Americans immediately conclude: involved means guilty, the lie has been revealed. We do not make a final conclusion about a person, even if all his reactions add up to one. It can be very difficult to break this traumatic factor.
Then, we have completely different ideas about the judicial and legal system. When there are criminal cases, what happens to suspects in the US? Signing not to leave, detention for several days, then the person, as a rule, is released. We have a man in jail. And what happens to him there? Some article is glued to him. He lies down with this thought and wakes up, plus the traumatic factor of prison. Of course, if you put him on a polygraph, he will give a reaction on this topic. But this does not mean that he is involved in this. Doesn't necessarily mean.
The truth is actually a simpler process in the human brain, because it is associated with only one mental process - with memory. And when a person is asked about what he did, but he does not want to talk about it, he must create in his brain such a semantic construct that was not there.
Can a polygraph be fooled?
The psychology of a person's lies is such that a person lies only in one case - when the truth is dangerous. When a person is asked about himself, about the events of his past, about his character, about what he did, heard, knows or sees. When, during the capture of Nord-Ost, the militants asked “are there any military men?”, This simple question immediately turned into a stress-inducing factor, because the military was shot first. External danger always forces a person to tell a lie.
The truth is actually a simpler process in the human brain, because it is associated with only one mental process - with memory. I ask you - were you born in Moscow? You look into your memory - yes, it is written in the passport, my parents told me that I was born in Moscow, everyone knows this. And when a person is asked about what he did, but he does not want to talk about it, he must create in his brain such a semantic construct that did not exist. That is, he already works with two mental processes - with memory and imagination. And it's always more difficult. This is mimically expressed: fine motor skills of the muscles of the face, redness, vegetative. But even if it is impossible to determine deceit by these signs, because there are such impenetrable foreheads that lie, looking into the eyes, then there is a polygraph for these purposes.
Why is it hard to deceive a polygraph, almost impossible? Not a single person in the world could teach his heart to beat more slowly, to make his blood thinner or denser, to regulate sweat. I always give such an example for those who do not believe in a polygraph: you tell me about yogis who can walk on coals - but a person internally prepared himself for this, and when external danger factors work instantly, not a single person can prepare. If you lead a yogi into a dark room and also blindfold him, and give a burning coal to his hand, he will pull his hand away with a 99% probability. So in the case of the polygraph, it turns out that we are working with a provocation - that is, we put a person in the conditions of an experiment, when questions act as a stimulus.
When a dog is poked with a stick, its hair stands on end, it starts to growl - it shows stress. This is where we need to force a person to show stress. They will ask a person who has never used drugs in his life: have you tried drugs? He understands that drugs are bad, there will be a reaction, but a small one. A person who has tried drugs, but did not tell about it, will have a strong stressful situation, strong peak voltage. Therefore, I always say to test-takers: you must be clearly aware that the truth told before the polygraph and revealed on the polygraph are two different things. By and large, we don’t even need to distinguish truth from lies - we need to find out if the person is loyal to the investigation, if he told everything.
About lying polygraph examiners
According to Russian legislation, in particular, the documents of the Ministry of Justice, any expert examination carried out as part of judicial proceedings can be organized by any specialist, if the parties to the prosecution or defense prove the fact that he is an expert, using the appropriate document (certificate, advanced training courses, diploma). A polygraph examination can be declared as a special psychophysiological examination - along with ballistic, handwriting, forensic, psychological, psychiatric - if the defense or prosecution proves that this is necessary.
Often the polygraph is used in the ORD - operational-investigative activities. As an aid to the investigation, it can be perceived. But only the investigator should make a decision on its basis. I do not argue, it happens that the polygraph turns the investigation upside down. But polygraph examiners do not have the right to evaluate the investigation within the framework of the examination.
The worst thing that happens to my colleagues is that sometimes they do data spoofing. Sometimes they are nomenklatura polygraph examiners, when they are told from above in some structure “This person must be guilty,” sometimes they are commercial ones who are seduced by money. I had cases when I was offered money: in the case of adultery, theft. But I just understand that if you do this once, you, as a specialist, will bury yourself right there, and there will never be any trust in you again. I know such people, and in the circle of polygraph examiners they are known. I once had to double-check for such a polygraph examiner, who found traces in the memory of a person that he had committed a crime, and he, in general, did not follow the man’s lead, but only because that person did not have money.
In Moscow, the usual cost of a polygraph examination is from 3 thousand rubles. I was offered three times more than the official cost for replacing the results of the examination. Another time I tested for 5 thousand, and they told me: "Let's transfer 25 thousand to your card now." Naturally, I refuse such proposals.
What do customers want
The duration of the examination depends on the subject, on the specific situation, on the customer, because sometimes he needs very detailed information, and sometimes the answer “was” or “was not” is enough. The basis for the study is a conversation, because you need to set a person to work, stir up his memory a little, you need to touch those strings that can help the uninvolved avoid punishment, and, on the contrary, touch the involved with questions of verification. The conversation goes even before the sensors, sometimes it lasts half an hour, sometimes 40 minutes, sometimes two hours.
My longest test lasted from 8 am to 5 pm. It was a theft investigation, but there were breaks for the test subject, there was even a break for lunch. A man was sitting in my presence, there was a security service behind the wall, there were a lot of clues that needed to be identified. In the end, it turned out that he was involved. He surrendered himself, and then law enforcement agencies worked with him. It was an internal investigation: money was stolen in the company, for which, to put it mildly, no records are kept. Naturally, the owner of the company wanted to solve this issue with the help of a polygraph, and not the police. Then they simply found a reason why this person should be taken into custody.
At the beginning of my career, I was interested in every case that I was called to, and now I just closed the door behind them and forgot. The first time I had a routine screening test when applying for a job. Risk factors are taken (alcohol, drugs, bad habits, gambling, a tendency to theft, theft, drunkenness at work, leaking information, getting a job at the request of third parties, money fraud), presented to the test person, and we look at what he reacts. This is not an investigation, we are simply looking at a person's inclinations. For example, we might ask, “Do you belong to any religious organization?” What does this seem to have to do with the case? Actually straight. If a person is in a sect, he is suggestible. Tomorrow the sect will tell him: “Give us all your money, we don’t have enough of your sold apartment, go and find somewhere else.” And this is a certain risk for the company.
Each employer has its own risk factor. I worked with one design company, where the director said: “If drugs are revealed, it’s even good, because they are better creative when they are on drugs.” And there was a security organization, the head of which said: “If there is drugs or alcohol, I won’t let anyone close at all.” I tested a personal driver for aggressiveness behind the wheel - a very important factor when you trust him with your life.
How do polygraph examiners earn?
In all state and business structures with a large staff there are polygraph examiners, I know these people. They are loaded with work for the most do not indulge. All my friends test at least two people a day. It's very hard. Today I worked two people in a day - I don’t even have the strength to write a conclusion on them.
Officials must be tested every three years. Every day I have two officials tested, rarely one. As far as I know, employees of organizations subordinate to the state, starting with metro employees, should also be tested.
In private orders, I have the most adultery - 50%, I guess. Simply because such testing is a popular thing in Moscow. Thefts are probably 30%, the rest is household goods and screenings when applying for a job. In the civil service, 80% of me is screening (when hiring or personnel, which is done every three years), and 20% is investigation.
There are more full-time polygraph examiners in state structures, because they themselves send a person to study at state expense. Commercial structures usually hire polygraph examiners from outside. Firstly, a full-time polygraph examiner in a commercial structure in Moscow will ask for 80 thousand a month, and secondly, some are afraid that close relations will arise between the polygraph examiner and the employees whom he must check. Or, for example, if you have identified some risk factor in a person, it is not at all necessary that the employer will fire him, he will continue to work, but at the same time know that it was you who identified his problems on a polygraph.
It is best to work in companies with a large staff in different cities - for example, a chain of pharmacies. Then the polygraph examiner flies from city to city, no one knows him in the regions, but at the same time he is an employee of the central office, for example. Many of my friends work in such companies. I had such a part-time job, I went to them once a year. I knew the director, but the staff changed over the course of the year. Of course, I remembered someone from last year's testing, but this is not at all the same when you communicate every day in the office.
The lie detector is used not only when interviewing criminals and witnesses. When a person gets a serious job, associated with a certain level of secrecy and requiring compliance with internal security rules, he is satisfied with a polygraph test. What is the principle of operation of the device, and does it actually show the correct information?
What is a polygraph
A lie detector is a device that detects a change in several physiological parameters at once when the person being examined is asked various questions. How to pass a polygraph well? Gotta know what technical means registers pulse rate, respiration, arterial pressure, electroskin activity. A modern device is a mobile personal computer equipped with sensors and sensor units. During the study, polygrams are written, which are deciphered by a specialist - a polygraph examiner.
The polygraph is offered to some participants in the crime and witnesses. The expert issues his opinion on the results of the polygram, but it is not conclusive evidence of guilt. The second branch of the application of the lie detector is the survey of candidates for certain positions in private business, in closed structures (the police, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the FSB and other special services). So specialists learn about the moral and psychological qualities of the applicant and conduct scheduled checks. For the testee, this procedure is free, and the client-customer pays a rather high price for testing.
How is a polygraph test
On average, testing takes about 2 hours, but in some cases the procedure takes longer - up to 4 hours. The passage of the polygraph takes longer if the person under investigation has inadequate reactions, or it becomes necessary to ask a few more leading questions in order to add up a holistic picture. Before you learn how to pass a polygraph, you need to familiarize yourself with the stages of the procedure:
- Preparatory. Includes the collection of data about a potential or current employee.
- Pretest conversation. The person is obliged to explain the purpose of the check, list his rights. The specialist must indicate that the procedure is voluntary, inquire about the candidate's state of health. This allows you to further correct the results or reschedule the test for another time. The polygraph examiner clarifies the data collected at the previous stage.
- Polygraph test. The researcher is asked a series of questions grouped into blocks. The specialist applies in practice one of the existing methods developed for different cases.
- Final. The person is offered to say something on the merits of the check, if such a need arises. When physiological responses differ from the norm, the applicant is asked to explain the reasons for this.
What questions are asked when applying for a job
Those who have to pass the lie detector for the first time, there are certain worries. The polygraph when applying for a job today is used more often than before (especially in Moscow and other major cities), so you should be mentally prepared for the testing procedure. In this case, the employer does not violate the law. What questions are asked on the polygraph in this case? Tests are divided into three types: actual, adjusting, corrective. Questions can be answered "yes" or "no".
How to successfully pass a polygraph? Be prepared for the fact that online (when you are connected to the device) you will be asked about theft, drug use, alcohol, smoking, gambling addiction. Often, the topic of conversation is the presence of loans and debts, a criminal past, relatives with a criminal record. You will need to answer if you have malicious intent towards the company.
Can a polygraph be fooled?
Lie detector technology provides for the fixation of any emotional state. The less visible the difference in reactions when answering ordinary and especially tricky questions, the more useful it will be for you. Opposition to this device is possible. How to deceive a lie detector, pathological liars, professional actors and social psychopaths know (because they do not always adequately perceive social norms). However, common man pass the test.
How to fool a polygraph? You should cast away all fears about the device and the testing procedure, get rid of feelings of guilt, doubt, tension. Calm, unfeigned self-confidence, attitude to the result you need will help you bypass the device. The use of a lie detector is a probabilistic method of verification, which does not guarantee 100% reliability.