FBI Poly

[106A]

I read a thousand posts on this subject yesterday, and I can't seem to run across a very similar situation. Yesterday I took my poly for the FBI and the examiner did the usual tricks of telling me that he was getting some "interesting" readings and all. However, at the end of the test, he told me that I didn't seem to be passing and showed me a screen on the computer that said that I was showing deception on a particular question with the probability of 0.97.

My question is, is this just a tactic, or did I actually fail? He didn't say the word "fail". I was certainly honest on the question asked (as with the entire test), and I've yet to get a yes or no on the test. If anyone could shed some light on this I would greatly appreciate it, thanks.

[Roger Dat]

You wont know till they notify you officailly or not. They can never say you were lying its not a lie detector. Its a tool that can sometimes be used to show whether a person is being deceptive.

[nsp84]

The polygraph does not show if you're being deceptive. It shows if you might be being deceptive. It is simply a reading of your blood pressure, rate of sweating from your fingertips, and respiration (how heavy you are breathing). Basically it checks bodily functions that spike when you get nervous.

It is mostly an investigative tool. It shows them areas of your background to look at closer. It also works sometimes simply by scaring people into telling the truth.

It is not a scientific measurement of deception. Different questions might make someone nervous for different reasons, not necessarily because they are lying with their answer.

I am in favor of the polygraph because it can be a good investigative tool. I do not like the widespread misperception about its capabilities however.

[Roger Dat]

Pure symatics there. Potato PO TAT o