Not sure this question belongs here but don't know where to ask it

[mmonk]

I have know someone who has volunteered to take a polygraph test. What are the do's and don'ts that person needs to know and what can this person do to help with being nervous?

[Seedersandleechers]

1. Tell the truth

[Angry Girl]

5. That's not necessarily protection

If you get asked a particularly emotion-ridden question, you may get a "bad" reading too. Besides, too many liars know how to beat the damn thing. In other words, I find the primitive polygraph test to be of little value.

[Fridays Child]

2. Some advice on this board...

http://www.polygraphplace.com/ubb/NonCGI/Forum1/HTML/000034.html

[mmonk]

9. Thanks

[obxhead]

3. The questions require a yes or no answer.

Try not try think of ways to explain the answers, as it will not be allowed. Answer truthfully.

[Orrex]

4. The polygraph is an artifact of pseudoscience

Although it accurately measures pulse and GSV (among other things), these have not been shown to have a conclusive correlation to one's telling the truth or lying.

I hope that your friend isn't taking this test because of some employment-related problem.

[mmonk]

6. Explain further on the employment issue.

It was related to an incident during employment but this isn't being issued by the employer (I think).

[Orrex]

7. Well, it depends

First of all, let me state clearly that I'm not a lawyer.


Some states don’t permit termination or disciplinary action based upon polygraph results, for the same reason that polygraphs aren’t court-admissable (essentially, the reason I described above).

But if the employee has signed a statement, either at some point during employment, or immediately prior to the polygraph test, that authorizes the employer/tester to use the test’s results for disciplinary action, then he’s in a bit more trouble.

If I’m not mistaken, some states even forbid employers to take actoin based on an employee’s refusal to submit to a polygraph, but I think that’s more of a non-self-incrimination measure than an acknowledgement of the test’s limitations.

A good discussion of the problems of the polygraph as a testing device can be viewed here.

Good luck to your friend. Please let us know how it turns out.

[mmonk]

8. Thanks