A means of busting liars, cheats, and even criminals, a lie detector polygraph has been gaining attention and fame over the past decade or two. While most people know about these due to the media, a few know them due to the fact that they took one of these professional tests already. We have arranged some polygraph tips and information to give you an idea of what to expect when taking one of them.

 

Are There Any Observers?

There may be a handful of onlookers as you are taking a polygraph test. The examiner is definitely going to be there, while a few other officials will be watching too, if need be. However, this depends on the reason behind your polygraph. If it is regarding a job at an organization, firm, enterprise or agency, you may find yourself up against just the examiner, without the presence of other people. However, if the polygraph is being taken by the likes of private investigators or officers, you may be surrounded by more than one person.

 

What Are The Equipment Used?

Three sets of equipment are used to measure the following: rate of respiration, rate of perspiration and the blood pressure. Galvanometers are attached to the fingers of the person taking the polygraph, meant to check electricity due to sweating. A cuff measures the blood pressure, while pneumographs, bellows, and transducers help find the rate of respiration.

 

The Procedure

Polygraph questions are generally asked in English, unless the examiner and the interviewee prefer another language. Firstly, a pre-test is taken to determine how you react to obvious and simple questions, which is like a test polygraph exam. After that is covered, you may have to sign a consent form, agreeing to sit for the polygraph. However, that depends on the nature of this lie detector test. From there on, the actual test procedure may begin, where the examiner will ask relevant, irrelevant, control, and comparison questions. These may even include surprise questions, once again, to check the intensity of your reaction. Although some investigations do not require a lengthy lie detector test, the rest tend to take at least two hours to get done with. The results will be written down in a report for later assessment.

 

How Accurate Are Polygraph Tests?

Professional clientele are usually satisfied with the accuracy of lie detector tests, using them to investigate various matters in various fields. The service of the polygraphs is mostly up to par, giving up to 96% precision.

 

Taking A Polygaraph Tips

  • Be it a polygraph taken by a business solely for a commercial reason, or a test related to your line of occupation, you need not be nervous.
  • Even if you are anxious, it will not affect your test results in any major way.
  • There is no specific polygraph preparation that you absolutely need, other than researching a little on the procedures. In this way, you are aware of what will happen.
  • If your polygraph happens to be an inconclusive polygraph, do not panic, as the test could be taken another time.