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The Polygraph and Lie Detection (2003) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix A: Polygraph Questioning and Techniques
Pages 253-258

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From page 253...
... Questioning techniques may differ in the nature of the comparison questions, the sequencing of questions, or the choice of which comparison questions in a sequence of questions will be compared with which relevant questions. They are also typically associated with particular approaches to conducting pretest interviews and interpreting polygraph charts.
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From page 254...
... Irrelevant questions are typically placed in the first position of a question list because the physiological responses that follow the presentation of the first question are presumed to have no diagnostic value; they are also placed at other points in the question sequence. Guilty examiners are expected to show stronger reactions to relevant than to irrelevant questions; innocent examiners are expected to react similarly to both question types.
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From page 255...
... Each zone is presumed to be threatening to someone; however, depending on the examinee's mental set, it is anticipated that one particular zone is more threatening than are the other two (information from Donald Krapohl, U.S. Department of Defense Polygraph Institute, private communication, October 5, 2001~.
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From page 256...
... A repeated series of relevant and directed-lie comparison questions is used to address multiple issues (espionage, sabotage, unauthorized foreign contacts, and unauthorized release of information)
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From page 257...
... CONCEALED INFORMATION TEST Concealed information tests (more often called guilty knowledge or concealed knowledge tests) present examiners with sets of very similar items, much in the manner of stimulation tests, except that the similar items include one true and several (usually, four)
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From page 258...
... Handbook of Polygraph Testing. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
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Key Terms

  • comparison questions
  • relevant questions
  • concealed information
  • question test
  • question tests

  • information tests
  • physiological responses
  • questioning techniques
  • irrelevant questions
  • comparison test

  • zone comparison
  • polygraph questioning
  • polygraph testing
  • concealed knowledge
  • negative answer

  • reid comparison
  • black zone
  • similar items
  • test format
  • information test

  • test formats
  • control question
  • particular approaches
  • concern generic
  • questions concern

  • question types
  • items include
  • interpreting polygraph
  • respond negatively
  • numerical scoring


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