Polygraph Testing

[Bridget]

This is the reason i asked you to invite a witness , my message is
simple , you said the test is junk , i say prove it !!
I can not understand why anyone comes on internet forums not wanting to seek
the truth , unless they have hidden agendas , i am not saying these tests are the be all and end
all , but to my mind they are a very good starting point IMO !!

If you read back, I said something to the effect that I believe they are junk, and you asked whether I would be prepared to sit a test to see if my belief was truthfully held. Now you want me to prove they're innacurate? Firstly I don't need to, if the tests are to ever be taken seriously they need to be proven accurate, not the other way around. Secondly, what difference is witnesses going to make? They won't know whether I'm lying either.

[Roch]

If you read back, I said something to the effect that I believe they are junk, and you asked whether I would be prepared to sit a test to see if my belief was truthfully held. Now you want me to prove they're innacurate? Firstly I don't need to, if the tests are to ever be taken seriously they need to be proven accurate, not the other way around. Secondly, what difference is witnesses going to make? They won't know whether I'm lying either.

I think he's trying to get you to tell a few lies to the tester, to see if the tester separates them from the truths you also tell.  If the tester accuately filters out the lies from the truths (in your case), presumably Jon will class this as you failing to beat the tester.

[susan]

Hi Bridget  very complicated for you to take a polygraph test because how would they know what questions to ask you they could say would you like to murder Susan you would say No but the polygraph may say you are telling porkies and you actually mean yes do you see where I am coming from.  It would be virtually impossible for you to take the test unless it was on a subject connected to you.

[Bridget]

Hi Bridget  very complicated for you to take a polygraph test because how would they know what questions to ask you they could say would you like to murder Susan you would say No but the polygraph may say you are telling porkies and you actually mean yes do you see where I am coming from.  It would be virtually impossible for you to take the test unless it was on a subject connected to you.

Exactly Susan, and unless someone other than me knows what the actual truth is. I wonder also, whether the test is at all effective in situations where there the passing or failing really doesn't matter, because there are no consequences in failing.

I think he's trying to get you to tell a few lies to the tester, to see if the tester separates them from the truths you also tell.  If the tester accuately filters out the lies from the truths (in your case), presumably Jon will class this as you failing to beat the tester.

That's a possibility, although I haven't claimed to be able to beat the test. As I understand it it's been claimed that it can be done by controlling breathing and heart rates. Another of its failings seems to be that some people just don't show the expected physiological responses when lying (perhaps because of some mental or personality disorder, or maybe they're just built differently).

[susan]

Hi Bridget  the only way it might work is if the polygraph tester has a list of questions that he asks you to answer with a Yes or No.  He records your answers you are connected to the machine and the tests is done asking you the same questions you may choose to answer differently than when first asked the questions but it would show up on the machine if you gave different answers.  The easy way to settle this is for you to say polygraph tests are not rubbish

[Bridget]

Hi Bridget  the only way it might work is if the polygraph tester has a list of questions that he asks you to answer with a Yes or No.  He records your answers you are connected to the machine and the tests is done asking you the same questions you may choose to answer differently than when first asked the questions but it would show up on the machine if you gave different answers.  The easy way to settle this is for you to say polygraph tests are not rubbish

You have me laughing again ok, they're not rubbish. Lie detect that!

[Neil]

I think that Jeremy was ill advised in taking the polygraph test.  It was a massive gamble that could so easily have backfired.  Nobody claims that the test is 100 per cent accurate, so to take one and run the risk of an incorrect finding could have been disastrous, unless of course Jeremy would have been able to conceal any adverse results.

[Roch]

I wonder also, whether the test is at all effective in situations where there the passing or failing really doesn't matter, because there are no consequences in failing.

I wondered about this earlier. 

[susan]

Bridget  I am starting to get confused over polygraph testing and 3 way phones and wondering if a visit to Tesco is required in the near future   You will be pleased to know but I could have got the phone thing wrong according to reader I have to test when we get a phone call which is very rare as everybody has given up as I have the line engaged all the time with Dial Up.

[susan]

Bridget  you are right again if no consequences exist having a polygraph test it will not give correct results as you will sit there not caring at all and having a good laugh no doubt.

[susan]

Hi Neil  he was being true to himself and would not give it a thought about failing the test as he knew he was innocent and must have had faith in the test (not like that Bridget )

[Jane]

Would it make a difference to the outcome of the test if the testee requests it and knows in advance when the test will take place, compared to the test being given unrequested  and without prior knowledge?

[guest154]

Would it make a difference to the outcome of the test if the testee requests it and knows in advance when the test will take place, compared to the test being given unrequested  and without prior knowledge?

Good question.
Also, the time between events and the test.
The type of person being tested, could be  good at being deceptive or have told the same lies over and over again that they can now almost believe it themselves.

[susan]

Hi Mat  I asked oncesaid about your point of the time between events and the test but not heard yet maybe later on.  I don,t think a person being given a polygraph test would know the exact questions they were going to be asked before the test they could of course have an idea the type of questions we will ask Bridget when she has had her test

[guest154]

Hi Mat  I asked oncesaid about your point of the time between events and the test but not heard yet maybe later on.  I don,t think a person being given a polygraph test would know the exact questions they were going to be asked before the test they could of course have an idea the type of questions we will ask Bridget when she has had her test

I'm sure Bamber would be aware of the key points that the test was gonig to be aimed at. Afterall this was a test arranged by him.