What is a lie detector: polygraph - how to pass it. Effective ways to ensure a successful outcome of the survey. Ways to fool the polygraph

Add your price to the database

A comment

The first lie detection device was called a hydrosphygmometer. It was used by the Italian criminologist Cesare Lombroso. In the 1890s, it was used by a criminologist to measure the blood pressure of suspects while they were being questioned by police. Lombroso claimed that he could tell when criminals were lying. Showing photographs related or unrelated to the crime, he simultaneously recorded the pulse and blood rates of the suspects.

The polygraph became famous after an investigation in 1902. Then Lombroso was involved in the investigation of a criminal case of rape and murder of a girl. During the interrogation of the suspect, the scientist used his unusual device. Although initially all the facts spoke against the suspect, Lombroso came to the conclusion that he was innocent.

He detected slight changes in the subject's pulse as he did various mathematical calculations in his head. When the suspect was presented with images of injured children, the recorded pulse recording did not show any sudden changes, including when viewing photographs of the murdered girl. The results of the subsequent investigation convincingly proved that this suspect was innocent of this crime.

The prototype of the modern polygraph was developed in the 1920s by John Larson, a California police officer. The device he created provided simultaneous recording of blood pressure, pulse and respiration. With the help of this device, a large number of checks were carried out on persons suspected of criminal offenses.

Larson called his instrument the "polygraph", borrowing the name from John Hawkins, who coined the term in 1804. This was the name of the machine he invented for creating exact copies of handwritten texts. The name “polygraph” comes from two Greek words – “poly” (many) and “grapho” (write). This machine was used by many in the 19th century, including Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States and author of the Declaration of Independence, but it was John Larson who first applied the word “polygraph” to a lie detection device. Subsequently, this term became firmly established.

Where is the polygraph used?

Many reputable domestic companies, focusing on the experience of foreign colleagues, practice testing applicants with a lie detector, also known as a polygraph. About ten years ago, such “truth sessions” seemed like something out of the realm of spy detectives, but now it is an everyday thing in structures that have nothing to do with state security. The lie detector is used in many ways, but the main ones are the interrogation of offenders and the screening of applicants when applying for a job.

How does a lie detector work?

Anyone who has already taken a lie detector test knows that the polygrapher alternates meaningful questions (for example: “Have you ever been accused of embezzling corporate funds?”) with control questions that have no connection with the direct purpose of testing (for example: “Have you ever or deceived your spouse?”). At the same time, the printer monitors the readings of several sensors (galvanic skin reflexes, cardiovascular activity, thoracic and abdominal breathing, etc.).

The basic principle of the polygraph is as follows: the physiological reactions are stronger, the more important and significant the question asked is for you. As a rule, a person who is not involved in a case that interests interrogators reacts approximately the same way to all questions: those that are significant for the case and those that are not significant. And for those involved, significant questions cause uncontrollable tension.

Usually, before the actual lie detector test, all the questions that will be asked are discussed with the test taker. The topic of the test is discussed in advance to avoid an uncertain reaction to an unexpected question. If you ask a person directly without preparation something like “Did you sleep with your boss’s wife?”, he simply may not understand what is happening. He will start to get nervous or hesitate to answer, even if he has never done so. Or he will be very surprised - and the polygraph shows approximately the same reaction to lies and surprise.

During the preliminary discussion, you can already decide how you will answer. Knowing the topic and an approximate range of questions, you can take advantage of this. Banish the real picture from your consciousness and create a “legend” that is beneficial to you: a bright, emotionally charged image that will displace the real one. With developed imagination and self-hypnosis skills, this can help you outwit the polygraph. The key here is to force yourself to believe in this alternative reality, and not just imagine it in detail.

And the main difficulty is “not to think about the white rhinoceros”, to forget for a while about how everything really happened. Otherwise, the real picture in your mind will overlap with the imagined one. Two mutually exclusive images will simultaneously evoke the psychic. You will begin to demonstrate delayed reactions to questions and other artifacts. They will show that you are constructing an imaginary event (or, more simply put, lying) and this will be recorded by a polygraph as evidence of your lies.

Before the main test, the so-called tuning (pre-test) interview to “calibrate” your answers. Your psychophysiological indicators in a normal state are studied. Sensors record upper (chest) and lower (abdominal) breathing, heartbeat, blood pressure, tremor (shaking) and electrical reaction of the skin. Next, the tests find out how the indicators “jump” when the test taker is asked questions that are significant to him. Usually they are quite simple: “Is your name so-and-so?”, “Do you have a family?”, “Do you intend to deceive the polygraph?”

Your reaction to a deliberate lie is also studied. The polygraph examiner calls several names, including yours. You must lie, that is, say that the name being spoken is not yours. This way it checks how you react to a lie and how the detector records it. For a similar purpose, you may be asked to write down a number from several suggested ones, choose a playing card, put some kind of figure in your pocket, etc. The polygraph operator then “guesses” the subject by analyzing your reactions.

A funny detail: in many instructions for polygraph operators, when “guessing” they advise not to limit themselves to the analysis of psychophysiological reactions, but to be safe, to resort to cheating techniques - marked cards, hidden video cameras... Such petty cheating is considered acceptable. After all, among other things, the preparatory stage should break the test taker’s will to resist and convince him of the futility of trying to deceive the polygraph. Therefore, during the preliminary demonstration, they strive to completely eliminate the possibility of a “puncture”.

The main test can take several hours. The questions are read out, you are asked to listen carefully and answer honestly “yes” or “no.” After each question there is a pause (15-20 seconds) during which the psychophysiological reaction to it is recorded. The polygraph records when your “heart skipped a beat,” where you held your breath, what question was followed by a “sigh of relief,” and where your hands trembled and your knees vibrated. Here are some signs of emotional tension in response to the presentation of a significant question.

They may not be in your favor:

• the magnitude of the skin reaction increases;
• the pulse slows down, followed by a compensatory increase in heart rate;
• holding the breath and slowing down its rhythm, followed by a compensatory increase in the rhythm and depth of breathing;
• changes in inhalation/exhalation time, inhalation pause and exhalation pause;
• increased muscle tremors

To disorient the interviewee and break down his protective barriers, conditions and wording may change. The same question may be presented many times. Questions on the same topic can be formulated differently. You may be asked to answer “yes” to all questions, even if you have previously answered “no” to them, to see how you will react if you answer yes. Or vice versa - give only negative answers. There is also a “silent answer” - the test taker is asked only to think about the answer to the question, but not to say it out loud.

During the survey, “filler questions” are used on neutral topics that, in theory, should not cause excitement (“Is it Monday?” “Are you sitting on a chair?”). Experts suggest including more questions in the test that require a known truthful answer. After them, it will be more difficult for a person to lie, and the corresponding physiological manifestations will become more noticeable.

There are also trap questions regarding the details of what happened (for example, theft). They are unknown to the innocent, but will cause a strong reaction to those involved in the crime. Often the question lists key words and facts. “What did you take from the safe? Mobile phone? Gun? A pack of condoms? A bunch of keys? “How long has it been since you last used drugs? A week? Month? Year? Five years?". “Do you like to drink alone? In company? In the morning? In the evenings? For days on end? “What bribe did you receive? One hundred? Two hundred? Three hundred? Five hundred thousand?". As you approach the correct answer, signs of anxiety increase, and then relax as you move away from it. Although outwardly this may not be noticeable to a person.

To distract the test taker's attention, significant questions are made more difficult. The unknown is presented to the test taker as the known: “Did you hide the package you stole there?” A person, by inertia, can “get carried away” and answer “yes” or “no”. And any unambiguous answer to such questions already contains indirect recognition.

There are also security questions that should excite even the innocent (“Have you ever taken something that didn’t belong to you?”). Everyone has committed such acts at least once in their lives, so it is assumed that for innocent people, control questions should cause more excitement than questions directly related to the essence of the case. A negative answer to a control test question indicates that the person being tested is lying.

Methods of deception

Today there are several ways to deceive a lie detector. Some of them depend on the preliminary professional training of the test taker. So, for example, employees or former employees of special services who are well acquainted with the principles of the polygraph or have repeatedly used it in practice will be able to deceive a lie detector. In addition, during their professional training, they undergo a special course on countering polygraph testing, because their work involves the need to maintain professional secrets. Systematic training brings their reactions to the level of unconscious automatism.

Acting

If a person is a professional actor, well acquainted with the technique of implanting himself in the image of another person, absolute transformation, up to complete identification with him, including physiological reactions, he will also be able to deceive the polygraph. After all, the main thing is to convince yourself of the truthfulness of your lies, since the lie detector evaluates reactions, and not the actual truthfulness of the answers.

Drugs

In addition, there is a so-called pharmacological way to fool a polygraph. This is the use of specially selected sedatives, medications that affect blood pressure, and alcohol. The point is to prevent the polygraph from assessing your true reactions to the questions asked and to increase the number of errors. By the way, after a hangover or lack of sleep for several days, the body’s reactions will also affect the level of objectivity of the polygraph.

Let's use our brains

If you gesticulate excessively, shake your head, or tense your diaphragm or abdominal muscles during a lie detector test, your answers can also be falsified. You can, on the contrary, resort to psychological tricks: form a parallel focus of attention, concentrate on mental activity not related to the questions asked, for example, remembering the multiplication table.

Secret way

If the above options for deceiving the polygraph do not work out, you can even resort to the so-called chemical method of deception. Because sensors that measure skin conductivity are placed on your fingers, their tips can be treated with sweat gland blockers. This can be alcohol or salicylic-zinc ointment, sold in any pharmacy. The main thing is that the polygraph examiner does not notice traces of processing, and then the main channel for obtaining information by the detector will be blocked.

How to behave during the test?

Do not forget that the operator who is sitting in front of you is a simple person and, like everyone else, he also sometimes has emotions. Simply, he is obliged to hide them from us, because... man is at work. But we know that. Show him that you are also a simple and, most importantly, adequate person.

• If you are a beautiful girl, then it is hardly worth trying to arouse sympathy from the operator. The main thing is to show your adequacy and positive attitude towards this procedure. The operator should not think that something is annoying you or that you are afraid of something.
• Be calm. Do not make sudden movements with your hands or head, do not roll your eyes, do not look around the room, do not ask questions. All this can provoke additional questions from the operator and increase your blood pressure and pulse. This is of no use to us at all!
• After a trial set of questions, the actual testing session begins, which is recorded on a video camera. Keep calm. Look straight ahead. Focus your gaze on a neutral object: a wall or curtain. Oh, by the way, don’t wear anything bright to your session. Even a small red scarf can greatly affect your heart rate if it enters your field of vision.
• Everything should be neutral. Preferred colors: gray, beige, pale green. Imagine yourself in an environment where you would be as calm and comfortable as possible.
• You answer, without thinking, what you need and again enjoy the sun in the clearing. It’s a pity that you can’t close your eyes during the session. It would be much easier to indulge in such auto-training.

Popular questions

How long does a polygraph examination take?

Depending on the complexity and number of topics being investigated, a lie detector test usually takes 2-3 hours.

Does nervousness affect the results of a polygraph examination?

No. Nervousness does not interfere with polygraph examination. Every person taking a lie detector test is expected to feel nervous, regardless of whether they intend to answer the questions truthfully or deceitfully.

As a rule, the subject experiences a certain nervousness throughout the polygraph examination, and not just when the polygraph examiner asks him a separate question. Therefore, the polygraph examiner monitors the reaction of the person being examined to specific questions, exceeding the level of reaction associated with ordinary nervousness or excitement. If nervous condition influenced the result of a polygraph examination, then no one would ever be able to successfully pass a lie detector test.

What does a typical polygraph examination include?

A professional polygraph examination consists of three phases: a pre-test conversation, the actual examination and polygram analysis. A typical lie detector test lasts 2-3 hours. The longest phase of the examination is the 45-90 minute pre-test conversation. During the pre-test interview, the polygraph examiner fills out the necessary paperwork and discusses the test questions to ensure that the subject fully understands each question before taking the examination.

The polygraph examiner also explains the polygraph test process and answers any questions that may be of concern to the examinee. The examination itself takes place in a quiet room with the doors closed in the presence of a polygraph examiner and the subject, without unauthorized persons, in order to prevent the influence of factors that distract the subject.

The polygraph examiner attaches the necessary sensors to the body of the subject and asks previously discussed questions that require a monosyllabic answer - “yes” or “no”. Physiological indicators are recorded from lie detector sensors in the form of polygrams. In the last phase of a polygraph examination, a polygraph examiner analyzes the polygrams and makes a conclusion regarding the veracity of the person being examined.

Business is constantly developing and improving, so the requirements for employees are constantly increasing. The employer must be 100% confident in the team, so one of the options for solving staffing problems is a polygraph test. But the employer, having decided to carry out this procedure, may face a problem - where to take a lie detector test?

At school, they first teach you a lesson and then make you take a test or test.
In life, you first go through a test from which you must learn a lesson.
Tom Beaudette

Where can I take a lie detector test?

There are several possible answers, but you need to choose only one, the correct one.

The organization and polygraph testing is mainly carried out by commercial enterprises, private detective and security agencies, so the question of where to take a lie detector test is not so pressing for the owner of the enterprise.

Polygraph testing has become firmly established in business activities and is widely used both in solving crimes and in organizing the activities of human resources departments. A lie detector can be used in any situations where it is not possible to confirm the accuracy of the words of the person being tested.

Lie detector test: price

The cost of a polygraph testing service consists of the labor costs of a specialist and the time costs of conducting the test.

Currently, the price of polygraph testing services for one person is 4,000 - 10,000 rubles.

Various companies may offer additional services when conducting a test (for example, visiting the customer, mobile testing, testing the entire customer team), which means that the cost of a lie detector test will increase. We will consider the types of such companies and the range of their services in more detail below.

Screening check

When hiring, HR services have many questions for the applicant, and it is not always possible to get an honest and frank answer from the future employee. But if a person lied when applying for a job, then where is the confidence that he will not commit an illegal act in the future.

Commercial organizations

When applying for a job, it is more advisable to contact a commercial structure that provides polygraph testing services.

The applicant does not yet own a trade secret; he can mainly hide secrets from his personal life, or some facts from his biography. Therefore, this type of verification is aimed at stopping offenses only in the future, assessing the candidate’s honesty and integrity and calculating his tendency to cause harm to the company.

Persons servicing the polygraph in a commercial structure that the owner has contacted will fully cope with this task and provide a complete and detailed psychological portrait of the candidate.

Government agencies

It’s another matter when a crime is committed - theft of inventory or information leaked from the company. You cannot do without specialists in the field of private investigation.

Employees with security clearance immediately fall into the circle of suspects. Therefore, in this situation, the answer to the question “Where to take a polygraph?” will be unambiguous - from law enforcement officers, or from a detective agency.

But the difference between professional polygraph examiners in the service of law enforcement agencies and commercial structures will be significant, since good specialists in the public service do not stay long.

There is another option - to acquire a lie detector yourself and test employees at your enterprise.
But two problems will immediately arise - with the service personnel, and the profitability of this acquisition:

• In the first case, it is quite difficult to find professionals,
  In the second, it is not economically feasible.

Bottom line

The prices of companies providing lie detector testing services are quite loyal and economically justified. On the Internet you can only (state, comm.) provide lie detector testing services, staffed by highly qualified polygraph examiners and modern equipment.

Therefore, there is a large choice of places to take the test, and the owner of the enterprise decides where to take the polygraph himself.

A polygraph is a complex device designed to obtain information about the state of the body during testing of a person in order to find out whether the person being tested is telling the truth or lying. The lie detector is universal, applicable to any person, regardless of age and mental state.

The main feature of the polygraph is to detect not the lie itself, but the reaction of the person being studied to the questions posed to him. The concept of reaction contains a large number of criteria, such as changes in respiration and blood pressure, pulse rate, and electrical resistance of the skin.

In the article you will learn how a polygraph works, get acquainted with the principle of its operation and its structure.

The one who admits to lying is always suspected more than the one who actually lies.
Lie detector (Deceiver)

Device diagram

A polygraph is a complex composite device consisting of several elements.

The diagram and composition of lie detector devices is as follows:

1. Sensors. Designed to monitor and obtain data on the psychophysiological state of the human body.
2. computer. A computing machine, which in most cases is represented by a desktop computer. Records and processes received data from polygraph sensors. Subsequently, the computer converts the received information into an analog code and transmits it to the output device.
3. Output device. An oscilloscope, printer, or monitor screen is used as such a device. These devices display the information received by the polygraph sensors on a diagram (polygram).

The period between the moments when data is received by the sensors and displayed on the diagram lasts ~600 ms (0.6 s); in fact, data on the state of the body is displayed in real mode.

Based on the results of analyzing the information on the diagram, the specialist makes a conclusion whether the answer of the person taking the polygraph test is true or false.

Oscillograms

With the help of sensors, everything is recorded and displayed on a computer oscilloscope.

Regardless of a person’s desire, the reactions of his body give out all the truthful information. In this case, the facial expression may remain unchanged, the person may behave at ease, smile, assert, and give absolutely no indication that he is lying, however, he is unable to control the physiological reactions of the body. Moreover, they cannot be dulled even by taking super-strong doses of sedatives, a state of sleep or hypnosis, as well as a complete absence of fear or excitement.

The inability to consciously manage and control the reactions occurring in the body, their close connection with current information stored in memory, makes the survey method using a lie detector scientifically sound. This method is recognized as reliable and effective in identifying information hidden by a person in many countries around the world.

The principle of operation of the polygraph

The principle of operation of a lie detector is based on the detection of microstress.

During the test, many sensors are attached to the human body in places where changes in blood pressure and breathing can be easily detected. The subject is then asked specially designed questions.

When a person gives a false answer, a reflex is triggered subconsciously, as a result of which blood pressure and breathing change. The subject becomes unable to control and restrain the body’s escalating physiological reactions.

The work of the polygraph is based on identifying and recording microstress in a person. There are many sensors attached to the human body that record sudden changes in the body's response. Sensors are attached to places in the body where changes in the psychophysiological state of the body are more clearly detected.

Key indicators observed by polygraph sensors:

1. arterial pressure;
2. breathing rhythm;
3. increased heart rate;
4. sweating

When all the sensors are installed, the person takes a test consisting of many questions.

For a high-quality polygraph test with a guaranteed result, the following conditions must be met:

• No noise or sudden movements. Third-party activity distracts the person being tested by a polygraph, which affects physiological changes in the body, and therefore the sensor readings.
• Simplicity of questions. Basically, questions are asked with the answer options “yes” or “no”. More complex questions prompt a person to think more, which also leads to changes in the body.
• No amnesia. If you lose your memory of the event or subject about which the question is asked, the polygraph result is invalid. If a person was a witness or participant in a situation, but does not remember anything about it, regardless of the answer of the person being tested, the required reaction of the body will not follow.

In the event of a knowingly false answer on the part of the person being tested, an unconditioned reflex is triggered at a subconscious level, which cannot be consciously controlled or prevented before it occurs. The resulting reflex, in turn, creates a microreaction of the body, which is reflected in changes in the psychophysiological state.

Even knowing how a polygraph works, it is impossible to deceive it, since the reason for revealing the truth is not in the lie detector, but in the functioning of the human brain - the detector only records the body’s reaction.

The sensor readings are transmitted to a computer, which converts the digital data into analog code, and then sends it to the output device.

Based on the results of the polygram analysis, a polygraph examiner with knowledge of the operation of a lie detector reports the manifestation of “truth” or “lie” on the part of the person being questioned. In this case, a person’s reaction may look completely calm, without changing his facial expression or averting his eyes; the interrogated person may not change his mood and calmly assert the truth on his part. However, it is impossible to control or restrain the physiological abilities of the brain.

The brain is not able to deceive itself and, regardless of a person’s desire or external factors, reproduces various reflexes in the case of truth and deception. The impossibility of conscious control of reactions and processes within the body, as well as their close dependence on current information stored in memory, gave scientific justification and recognition to the polygraph testing method.

Interview with a polygraph examiner

During the interview of the subject, the device clearly records changes in all physiological parameters that occur in the human body when he answers. Then, based on the reactions received, the specialist determines which of the questions the respondent gave a false answer to.

To conduct testing, it is necessary to obtain written consent of the established form from the suspect (victim, witness). But since the data obtained are probabilistic in nature, they cannot be taken into account by the court as direct evidence of guilt or innocence.

Video: How a lie detector works

The relevance of the use of the polygraph

The lie detector is used in many areas, which is not surprising, because a polygraph test is currently the only way to verify the truth of a person’s words.

The polygraph is used in the following cases:

• Checking the company's staff. Before making a decision to hire a new employee, serious corporations carry out a set of measures with him, including a lie detector test. A polygraph helps to find out in advance a person’s intentions and the purpose of employment, which is objective from a security point of view.
• Investigation of crimes. A lie detector helps to establish the guilt of a suspect in a crime. We especially use it in situations where a person’s guilt in committing a crime is obvious, but for bureaucratic reasons it is impossible to bring charges against him.
• Special cases. Lie detectors have also widely proven themselves to be useful in finding out the truth in individual cases, for example, when it is necessary to check the fidelity of a spouse. Today, in many countries, private companies offer human testing services using a lie detector.

Factors affecting the test result

There are four main reasons why the results of a lie detector test are considered biased:

1. Location.
   The test subject's body should not be distracted by external situations and phenomena not related to the test.
2. Time spending.
   Based on the results of many tests, over ten years of observation, polygraph examiners have determined that the most favorable period of the day for taking a polygraph test is from morning to lunch.
3. Number of checks per day.
   It is recommended no more than three checks by one polygraph examiner.
4. Psychotropic effects or alcohol/drug intoxication.
   It is similar to the first reason, with the difference of a stronger impact on the psyche. Even if it is possible to test a person in the above-mentioned condition, the test results left by the polygraph on the polygram will be different.

   The results of testing a person in a state of passion are different from the results of a sober person due to a more inhibited reaction of consciousness in the first. Such results cannot be analyzed even by experienced polygraph examiners and are considered irrelevant.

   And, by the way, during the New Year holidays, the polygraph and polygraph examiners do not work the same way as everyone else.) Do not try to test someone on these days.

In some Western countries that use lie detectors in legal matters, violation of any of the above points may lead to the cancellation of the test results and invalidate them.

Check results

According to statistics, conclusions drawn on the basis of a polygraph are of very high reliability (80–90%).

When the tactics of using a lie detector accurately implement the principle of selective influence, all conclusions turn out to be reliable. In addition to the image or word, the actions of the investigator and the person or object during its presentation for delay can also have such an impact. All this indicates the breadth of tactical coverage of situations in which a polygraph can be used.

The polygraph works when there is a subject and sensors that are attached to it. Afterwards, a record is made, all indicators are recorded, significant points are compared with insignificant ones. Then, based on all this, appropriate conclusions are drawn.

There are some difficulties in working with a polygraph. They consist in the fact that the person being tested is placed in unusual conditions.

The whole process resembles a medical examination, which causes the subject to become agitated. A so-called situational reflex arises, which the polygraph examiner needs to remove. To do this, they try to bring the test closer to natural conditions. Sometimes, specialists working with a polygraph try to make it so that there is no need to install sensors, and the person being tested does not even imagine that he is being tested at all.

How a polygraph works: briefly

Surely everyone has heard about lie detectors used in police investigations. But sometimes people who are applying for a new job have to undergo a similar polygraph test (for example, some government jobs where the results of a lie detector test are required from the FBI or CIA). The main purpose of a polygraph is to see whether a person is lying when answering certain questions or telling the truth.

When a person takes a polygraph test, 4 to 6 sensors are attached to his body. A lie detector is a machine that records multiple (“POLY-”) sensor signals on moving paper (“-GRAPH”).

Polygraph sensors usually record:

• breathing rate;
• pulse;
• arterial pressure;
• sweating

Sometimes the polygraph also records data such as reactions and movements of the arms and legs.

When a polygraph test begins, the examiner asks three or four simple questions to establish signal standards. Then real questions are asked to test the detector. During the interrogation process, all signals coming from sensors attached to the body are recorded on moving paper.

Before the test begins and after its completion, the polygraph examiner looks at the graphs and sees the nature of changes in important indicators as a result of the questions asked. Most often, significant changes (such as increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, increased sweating) indicate that a person is lying.

When a trained professional uses a polygraph, he can detect lies with high accuracy. However, due to the fact that the expert's interpretation is largely subjective, and people react to lies differently, a polygraph test is far from the most perfect method.

How to fool a lie detector

As already mentioned, the polygraph is actually impossible to deceive: it only registers changes, while the changes themselves to a false answer occur in the human body, caused by unconditioned reflexes of the central nervous system.

And yet, is it possible to hide a lie? Theoretically, yes, such a possibility exists. To conceal a lie, it is necessary to control and anticipate unconditioned reflexes even before they arise. The brain of an ordinary person is not capable of this, which was confirmed every time they tried to deceive the polygraph. The outcome of such attempts was a slight deviation in the test subject’s body parameters, but the overall picture of the results did not differ from the results of tests in which the test subject did not attempt to deceive.

Control of unconditioned reflexes is comparable to supernatural abilities. And such people really exist, but there are only a few of them in the whole world, and the chance of meeting a person with supernatural abilities is equal to the chance of an ordinary person becoming the mayor of a large city. These cases are unique and, if individual people have hidden abilities, their brain works differently, which is reflected in the test readings. In such cases, a lie detector test is considered more irrelevant than reliable.

Any person who receives an offer to take a lie detector begins to worry, look for information about what a polygraph is and how to pass it, what can await him as a result of such testing. Let's figure out why a polygraph test is carried out and how to properly prepare for it.

In contact with

What is a polygraph

Polygraph is a technical device used for recording psychophysiological reactions a person that arises in response to questions presented to him - stimuli.

Attention! In ordinary life, many people call the device a lie detector.

The procedure is carried out by a polygraph examiner - a specialist with special education in the field of conducting research using a polygraph.

The main objective of the examination is to establish the reliability of the information provided by the person being assessed to the polygraph examiner.

Polygraph

When is the inspection carried out?

The popularity of polygraph tests is growing, and the scope of their application is actively expanding. Businesses are beginning to increasingly use this tool, trying to reduce their risks when hiring employees who can cause significant damage to the employer.

Most often, this method of assessing the reliability of information applies in the following cases:

1. Screening candidates when hiring.
2. Regular assessment of the organization’s operating personnel in order to monitor compliance with requirements, concerning safety business.
3. Checking employees if the enterprise an incident occurred: material assets, information leakage to competitors, receiving kickbacks.
4. In the judicial system conducting investigations.
5. In personal relationships, when, for example, family members want to check how honest they are with each other.

Polygraph test

Is the inspection legal?

Russian legislation does not prohibit conducting polygraph examinations, so there is nothing illegal in the offer to undergo them. But anyone can refuse them. And everyone who agrees to undergo polygraph testing signs voluntary consent.

Whether to refuse or not depends on how interested the person is in this procedure. Having rejected an offer, for example, when applying for a job, the candidate may lose chance get the job you want because the employer can conclude that the applicant has something to hide. He cannot refuse a candidate on this basis, but choosing another is his right.

When verification is not carried out

There are cases when it is really better not to take a polygraph test and refuse it yourself. This is especially true for situations where there is an understanding that, based on its results, the decision is unlikely to be positive, since there is a need to hide something.

Polygraph testing is not carried out in relation to a certain category of people regardless of whether they are ready to go through it themselves or not.

Testing will not be held, If:

• age of the subject less than 14 years old;
• have mental illnesses and disorders;
• there are signs of physical and mental exhaustion: fatigue, chronic lack of sleep, prolonged stress;
• the subject takes strong drugs;
• the person is sick with cardiovascular diseases or has problems with the respiratory system;
• alcohol or drug intoxication was detected;
• a woman is expecting a child, especially in the second half of pregnancy.

The polygraph examiner will definitely clarify the questions regarding the existing restrictions, and therefore you need to respond to them absolutely calmly. He asks about this not because he wants to convict someone of something, but on the contrary, he strives not to do harm, since all the listed cases relate to the possible receipt of an unreliable examination result.

The polygraph examiner is obliged to clarify questions regarding existing restrictions on testing

The principle of operation of a lie detector

Polygraph is technical device, which does not evaluate anything, does not make a verdict. Its task is to record a person’s physiological reactions to questions and at the moment of providing an answer to them. Any emotion is always reflected on the physical level: sweating, changes in breathing or pulse. It is these indicators that detector will detect.

A polygraph is a complex consisting of several parts:

• Sensors that measure blood pressure, pulse, respiration and sweating.
• A device that registers signals coming from sensors and then transmits information to a computer.
• Computer with specialized software m, evaluating the resulting reactions. As a result, the program generates a graph - a polygram, which shows all the changes occurring in a person.

At the end of the examination, the polygraph examiner will analyze the polygram and prepare a conclusion with the results of the assessment.

The questions asked are based on special questionnaires– tests necessary to verify the reliability of information provided to test takers on specific research topics.

How is testing carried out?

Polygraph testing consists of from several stages.

1. Meeting and getting acquainted with a polygraph examiner.
2. A preliminary conversation in which the purpose of the inspection will be explained and the procedure will be explained. It is important to know that all questions that will be asked will be discussed. Until the polygraph examiner is convinced that the test taker knows and understands all the test questions, he will not begin the procedure itself.
3. Human signs consent to pass the test or refuse.
4. If you agree, the testing phase begins. First, detailed instructions are given: how to behave, what not to do, sensors are put on, and questions are asked.
5. During the tests, the polygraph examiner may have additional questions in connection with the reactions of the test taker. In this case, a second conversation is conducted, the information is clarified and changes are made to the test questions, and the test continues.
6. At the end of the procedure, the polygraph examiner releases the person being tested and processes the results obtained, prepares a conclusion.

Is it possible to fool a lie detector?

For as long as the polygraph has existed, the question of whether it is possible to deceive it has been discussed for so long. Experts believe that this can be done almost impossible, and among non-specialists there are a considerable number of people who believe that this is very easy to do.

Further more. On the Internet you can find advice on how to pass a lie detector and deceive it, and even describe ways in which this can be done. You can even find offers to take a lie detector test online.

When studying recommendations on how to pass a polygraph without problems and deceive the detector, it is important to remember that it does not pay any attention to words or facial expressions. It records reactions that occur in the human body and are a consequence of the work of the brain. Those who learn to control their own reflexes, then will be able to deceive polygraph.

Any method used by the test taker to bypass the polygraph is countered by polygraph examiners.

Can follow recommendations: take pills, don’t get enough sleep, don’t think about anything while answering questions, concentrate your attention on the flower standing on the windowsill. However, an experienced specialist will immediately see this and will treat the test results very carefully.

Separately, it is necessary to note the proposals to test yourself by taking online lie detectors. Essentially, this is a psychological test that determines emotional stability. And on this basis, the probable possibility of deceiving the detector is calculated.

To trust such results or not, to use or refuse the proposed methods to deceive the polygraph is everyone’s personal choice.

How to pass a polygraph when applying for a job

The offer to undergo a screening test when applying for a job may come as a surprise to many. Almost everyone begins to get nervous about this topic, and many perceive such information as an insult to their honor and dignity. But if we assume that the candidate himself was an employer, and he had a chance to weed out those who could potentially threaten the business on which so much time and effort was spent, would he refuse such an opportunity? The question is rhetorical, and the employer can also be understood.

Important! Concealing the truth is the main reason why the result may clearly not be in favor of the person being tested.

There are several factors capable of influencing on the test result.

1. Nerves, excitement, anxiety with which the candidate goes to the procedure. An experienced polygraph examiner will note this, and if for some reason he is unable to relieve the applicant’s excessive anxiety, then he can refuse to carry out check.
2. Taking sedatives before testing will slow down the reactions, which will be noted by the specialist. It's better not to do this.
3. Illness or general poor health will affect the result. If the physical condition deviates from normal, or pain bothers you, then you need to warn about this, and the procedure will be rescheduled for another day.

Passing a polygraph test when applying for a job

How to behave during an inspection

The main thing is to know how to behave during the test. The first thing is to get your nerves in order. And then follow everyone polygraph examiner's recommendations. You should not be afraid of him, you need to answer questions, try to explain to him as accurately as possible your reactions to them during a conversation between tests.

The worst thing you can do is — this is to start interfere with the examination: spinning in a chair, pressing on sensors, answering test questions in a few words instead of an unambiguous “Yes” or “No,” showing negative reactions to questions, being indignant. It's better to refuse right away.

For those who need to go through the detector for the first time, it can be recommended to take into account some tips how to behave:

1. Do not plan urgent matters on the day of the polygraph test. The procedure may take a long time for 2-3 hours.
2. Try to be honest. The more truthful answers are given, the better the results will be. Remember that there are no absolutely honest people. If you have nothing special to hide, then there is nothing to fear.
3. Do not try to disrupt the test by not following the polygraph examiner’s recommendations. It's better not to come to it at all.

Useful video: how is a lie detector test performed and is it possible to fool a polygraph?

Have you ever deceived your loved ones? Have you ever taken something without asking? If you answered “Yes” to these questions, then you have already taken the first correct step towards passing a lie detector test.

The polygraph is a rather complex technical system for conducting psychophysiological studies using special methods. The lie detector examination procedure consists of taking a number of physiological parameters from the subject that arise in response to verbal and other questions that are significant to him.

It is believed that when perceiving pre-prepared questions or visual images, memory processes and traces of stress are activated. Acting according to a well-thought-out plan, the researcher identifies the subject’s reactions to the questions presented to him. The results are displayed on a computer screen or recorded with a special device on paper tape.

Polygraph device

There are several designs of lie detectors. They can be analog devices that involve sequential recording of parameters with pen or other writing devices on paper. Today, digital lie detectors, designed on the basis of computer technology, are more often used. In any case, it has a sensor unit, sensors for collecting information and a device for recording test results.

The list of reactions that are subject to registration may vary. It is determined by the complexity of the device and the technique used. Typically, the device takes readings of breathing, galvanic skin response, blood pressure and some other characteristics of the cardiovascular system. A tremor sensor is also often used to record subtle trembling of the limbs. The facial expression sensor is used less frequently.

How does a lie detector work?

The polygraph records signals that come from sensors attached to certain parts of the subject’s body. The examination technique is based on the fact that fluctuations in a person’s level of arousal cause a significant change in indicators. In other words, when a person gets excited after hearing a question that is significant to him, the emotional background and the physiological characteristics associated with it immediately change.

It is generally accepted that insincerity or outright lying when answering an expert's question leads to an increase in the level of arousal. This does not happen with a truthful answer. This kind of reaction to stimuli may be associated with a feeling of guilt or a person’s fear of exposure of his lie and the subsequent punishment. The reliability of polygraph examination results is considered very high. Modern methods of research and processing of results make it possible to identify conscious attempts to deceive the polygraph.