What to answer on a polygraph. How to pass a polygraph without problems: practical advice from experienced people

Lie detectors today are often used by employers when hiring for the purpose of checking employees who have confidential information when conducting official investigations. Jealous people also resort to a lie detector to polygraph test their loved ones for treason. How should you behave in this case?

Taking a lie detector test is voluntary, but your refusal may arouse suspicion among your manager and serve as a reason for dismissal from your job.

A lie detector does not read minds and cannot learn anything about you or your secrets, it only records the physiological readings that occur when answering questions asked. If they want to catch you lying, but you are not guilty, then there is nothing to be afraid of. Those who are involved in something or are hiding the truth react to significant issues with uncontrollable tension, and the polygraph will record this. The stronger the reaction, the more important the question is to you. Therefore, if you are not involved in the case, then you will react to any questions in approximately the same way.

If you are not guilty and are not involved in “bad stories,” then polygraph testing may not cause you a feeling of fear, but rather interest. As Nobel laureate Henryk Sienkiewicz said, “Only those who are afraid lie.”

So!

The story began with the fact that I decided to quit my old job in view of the fact that the office was on the verge of falling into the abyss. I actually liked the work itself, but the thoughts that it would be better to change jobs now, having received my “golden parachute”, than to end up with nothing, overpowered me))

Potential employers periodically respond to my resume posted on professional resources, and to the extent that I am busy, I consider or reject their offers.
By the way, I don’t see anything wrong with having an active resume on resources even with a good job, what if Comrade himself. Miller from Gazprom will want to take advantage of my experience and knowledge.

One day another potential employer called me and set up a meeting. After a short conversation, the director of the Tula region said that it is customary to take a polygraph (also known as a lie detector) for a leadership position. I said - easy, especially since I didn’t take tons of anything away from my previous place of work, didn’t challenge my colleagues to a duel, and the new experience would be interesting to me.

A polygraph was assigned to me in the capital from a well-known polygraph examiner serving this company.

Before the trip, I carefully checked the entire Internet in search of how it would actually be. I’ll say right away that there is little useful information, but in general I received an understanding of what was to come. There was no excitement at all, but so far I had nothing to be afraid of. I was very unnerved by the “kicking” from friends and relatives - I foolishly said about the check and until the hour X enjoyed honing the wonderful sense of humor of those around me on me.

My impressions:

1. It’s not scary, it doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t take long - my entire test, taking into account the conversation and preparation, took about 40 minutes, most of which was preparatory chatter.

2. They ask quite obvious things, from what I remember they asked questions about:
- alcohol/drugs/cigarettes (I was very surprised, because I smoke and sincerely believe that this is my personal business)
- did you take away anything worth more than 5,000 rubles from previous places of work?
- did you leak information to competitors?
- whether there was a criminal record and in general problems with the law
- did I provoke conflicts at my previous place of work, etc.

All questions are more than logical and obvious. You can discuss questions that seem incorrect or ambiguous to you BEFORE testing and actually change them to suit you.

3. There are many sensors attached. They attached them to my chest, head, and fingers. There is no electric shock, everything is soft, it doesn’t scratch the skin, it’s quite comfortable.

4. Quite a long preparatory stage. First they explained to me how the test would be carried out, then they asked me to confirm in writing my consent to the test. We were amused by questions about health - they asked about the presence of heart pathologies, asthma, hypertension. Then they announced the topics on which I would be tested, and clarified whether I had any questions that did not suit me (in my case there were such). When all the issues were agreed upon, sensors began to be attached to me. This was the most unpleasant moment in the entire procedure - it was very reminiscent of the hospital and everything associated with it. Then they set up the polygraph for me personally, asking obvious questions (say “yes” when your name is heard, are you 36 years old?, do you have brown eyes?). And only after all this the test itself began - to be honest, by this moment I was already waiting for it. In films everything is somehow faster :)

After the test, the polygraph examiner asked which question confused me the most - I answered about “leaking information and working for competitors,” he said: “Yes, there was a jump.” Me: “It’s a clear day, my competitors haven’t found out yet that I’m taking a test here, so I’m indignant.”

As it turned out, polygraph tests here are periodic, once every six months - consistently, no big deal.

The questions for which the polygraph registers your lie will be repeated up to 4-5 times under different interpretations. Thank God I didn’t have any of those.

Top tips:

• Do not be complex and do not be afraid: a polygraph test has always been, is and will be a necessary routine procedure, the same as a request to write an autobiography.
• Voluntariness, and only voluntariness of this procedure on your part.
• Come to the examination rested and well-slept. You should not take sedatives, drugs, or alcohol before the testing procedure - all this can cause the specialist to suspect you of attempts to counteract, with a conclusion about your possible involvement (if you have nothing to hide, then there is no need to be cunning - a polygraph examiner, by definition , always open-minded).
• Carefully familiarize yourself with all the topics and range of questions proposed for clarification, clarify for yourself everything that is not understood and unsaid.
• If any questions affect your religious, political, or national feelings, it is better to immediately refuse to answer them, or ask the polygraph examiner to reformulate them.
• You should answer all questions as honestly and frankly as possible - a polygraph examiner will detect a lie, and the examination will simply be delayed.
• The key to your correct result will be sincerity, straightforwardness and composure.
• Remember that the conclusion based on the results of polygraph testing is only guidance information, not a verdict, and life still goes on.

How to fool a polygraph?

The lie detector deals with physiological responses to memories.

You can fool a polygraph only in a couple of cases:

You really believe your lies, i.e. so much so that they convinced their brain that it really happened;

You really don't remember how everything really happened. Those. memories are erased.

Good luck, comrades, don’t deceive each other!!!

P.S. I passed the test successfully.

Did you know that in order to recognize a person, it is enough to communicate with him for 10 minutes? If you want your interlocutor to easily understand you and get to know you the way you need, you should know how to behave in what situation. Here we will talk about gestures, facial expressions and even appearance.

Instructions

And indeed, by the behavior of the interlocutor you can even find out what he carefully hides. However, in order to see the whole truth about a person by his voice, facial expressions and gestures, certain skills are required in recognizing the meaning of certain gestures and expressions.
Take a closer look. You can also tell a lot by looking. For example, if your interlocutor is not directly to you, but to the side, he has something to hide, and do not expect openness from him. If a person looks continuously into your eyes throughout the conversation, it means that he is interested in you much more than the subject of your conversation.

Pay attention to the smile. You can make the first conclusions about a person by the way he smiles. A smile can be open and sincere - it means your interlocutor is friendly. But “squeezing out” a smile and its artificiality will indicate that the desire to communicate is not so great. It has long been known that with an insincere smile, only the muscles around the lips contract. A sincere, open person smiles with his whole face. A sign of nervousness is a crooked smile. And if the eyebrows rise while smiling, this means a readiness to communicate and even that the person can obey you. If you notice that a person does not blink at all while smiling, you should expect some kind of hidden or obvious threat from him.

Listen to the voice. A confident, loud voice indicates that the person is optimistic. A sign of tension can be not only a crooked smile, but also an unstable timbre of the voice. A shrill note in the voice will tell you that your interlocutor is worried about something.

Video on the topic

No matter how much we would like to hear the purest truth from others, there is nothing we can do - a person is prone to lies. Scientists have found that approximately 25% of what people say is not true. But often in our lives there are situations when it is necessary to understand whether a person is telling the truth or lying. How to spot a liar?

Instructions

Pay attention to the look. The first thing that can give away a liar is the eyes. He, as a rule, hides them from his interlocutor, for fear of giving them away. The person who is deceiving you may close his eyes and blink. However, it is worth considering that for an experienced person this is not an obstacle; he has sufficient self-control to “drill” you with his gaze.

A liar will try to change the subject. Some deceivers do this so masterfully that you will not even notice his trick. It is necessary to monitor the progress of the conversation as a whole and, when changing the topic, try to catch your opponent in a lie, persistently returning to the topic that he is trying to ignore.

An abundance of emotions is a sign of lying. Your interlocutor is probably lying if he excessively expresses anger, joy, is too zealously defensive, or tries to seem like a naive simpleton. Conclusion: passionarity indicates that the matter is unclean.

Watch your gestures. There are non-verbal signs that indicate deception (this topic formed the basis of the popular Hollywood series “The Theory of Lies” starring Tim Roth). Liars often try to suppress their emotions by hiding it behind gestures. If your interlocutor hides his hands in his pockets or behind his back, or touches parts of his face (chin, ears, nose), he is probably lying.

Look for contradictions. A reliable way: look for contradictions and logical “inconsistencies”, which, as a rule, abound in the liar’s story. Others, in an impulse, may say something that is completely contrary to common sense.

Deceivers “hide behind” objects. Liars actively use things as a barrier between themselves and their interlocutor. Take a closer look to see if your opponent is twirling a pen or lighter in his hands, or trying to shield himself from you with a monitor screen.

A liar overloads information. If a person, when telling you something, provides his speech with an abundance of small details, then you should be skeptical about this. Perhaps your interlocutor is simply a very observant person, and his life plans include writing a novel like “War and Peace,” but in most cases this is a sure sign that they are trying to hide the truth from you.

Listen to the voice. Psychologists have noticed that when a person lies, even the timbre of his voice changes. If you know your opponent well, you will be able to calculate by intonation and clarity of pronunciation of words whether he is telling the truth or lying.

For various reasons, you need to find out what the person is hiding. However, this is not so easy to do, because the interlocutor does not necessarily have to make contact and share secrets. Everyone has skeletons in their closet, but if you still decide to open someone else's, then you should resort to a number of methods.

Instructions

Formulate your questions so that there are no accusations in them. Then the answer will be more open, you will be able to better clarify the situation - the person’s unconscious attitude - will he become alarmed or remain calm.

To find out whether your interlocutor has a special interest in a particular topic or topic, do the following: provide him with various information touching on a specific topic. During the conversation, he will either show curiosity exclusively about one topic, or vice versa - talk the same about everything, which will show his indifference.

It is based on a certain fact that you know for sure. Ask the person you suspect about him. If he wants to hide something, you will immediately understand it.

Place two people next to each other. One of them should be the one from whom you want to find out information. Make it clear that you don't trust both of them. Then be sure to say that one of them is very dangerous for certain reasons. Watch - someone will start to worry.

Ask a direct question: “What would he do in this situation?” Rest assured, the interlocutor will tell you. The psychological trick is that if the resolution of the situation involves only one reasonable way out, and your conversation partner gives some ridiculous answer, then you need to take a closer look at it.

You are about to learn about a secret hidden behind seven seals, but you don’t have to be like Sherlock Holmes. You, first of all, are not a detective, but a subtle psychologist who must establish contact with the interlocutor. Be casual and friendly.

A number of people prefer the “wolf-prey” scheme. If you know that the interlocutor is vulnerable, susceptible to someone else’s and really hiding something, behave aggressively, ask sharp questions, attack. You will see that he will begin to stammer, stutter and make excuses, which he should not do at all, because you have no direct evidence. However, keep in mind that perhaps your interlocutor is a wolf in sheep's clothing, and you will have to bare your teeth together. And then he can rudely ask why you’re sticking your nose into something that’s not your own business.

Video on the topic

Sources:

• he is hiding his ex

Many people have been in a situation where the words of the person you believed turned out to be a lie. Finding out that you have been fooled is not only unpleasant, but also offensive. First of all, it’s offensive to feel stupid and unable to recognize someone else’s lies. If you suspect that your interlocutor is not entirely frank, be careful. There are signs by which a liar can be easily identified.

Instructions

Liars usually try not to talk about a sensitive topic for a long time, because the longer the conversation, the greater the chance that it will come out. But the innocent are ready to discuss the current situation as much as they want, because they are trying their best to provide evidence of their innocence and clear their good name.

Pay attention to the presence of details. A liar simply does not have time to think through all sorts of little things; he is focused on keeping the main lie in his head. Therefore, the fewer details, the greater the likelihood that not only they, but the incident itself did not exist.

Inexperienced deceivers always find themselves in extreme situations that only show their good side. The deadlines for disrupting work are always extremely respectful, and the delays were caused by the fact that the liar was moving an elderly, frail old woman across the road. But this rule applies only to novice liars. Experienced people are not shy about slandering themselves.

Note in the speech assurances such as “on my word of honor, speaking the truth, I swear to God” and the like. Their abundance most often indicates deliberate deception. If your interlocutor is confident in his truthfulness, he does not pay attention to how you relate the content of his words to reality.

Another evidence of the untruth being spoken is the pauses between words. If this is not a speech in front of an audience, accompanied by the usual excitement, then most likely your interlocutor is mentally trying out how truthful his words sound, and therefore speaks a little slower than usual.

Watch for fleeting changes in movements and facial expressions. It has long been observed that liars avert their eyes, rub their noses, straighten their hair, or change the position of their legs. Even the most gifted swindlers involuntarily change their facial expressions or clench their fingers. The more motor movements, the higher the chance that they are telling you lies.

A liar often tries to gain your favor and sympathy. For this, phrases are used: “I, like you, am sure,” “I am the same as you,” “You must understand me,” “Of course, you will agree with me,” and the like.

Video on the topic

Gestures are much more difficult to control than intonations. That is why even a person who confidently utters a pre-prepared lie can easily be betrayed by involuntary movements.

Instructions

See if your interlocutor brings his hand to his mouth. This is a childish gesture that adults cannot get rid of. When telling a lie, a child often automatically raises his hand to his mouth, as if trying to close it. Adults can change this gesture somewhat: involuntarily raising their hand to their lips, they come to their senses and begin to stroke their chin, touch their nose, cheeks, hair, etc. Please note: we are talking about a light touch, not scratching.

Watch how the expression changes. If his lie is very serious and he is afraid of being exposed, his forehead may even become covered with perspiration. Often, a facial expression that clearly indicates excitement or fear is combined with an unusual gesture - pulling the collar or scratching the neck. But keep in mind that a person may also pull back the collar when they are very upset, angry, or simply not feeling well and begin to notice that they are short of breath.

Pay attention to the other person's gaze. If a person simply looks away, this does not mean that he is lying, especially if you asked a question that can only be answered by remembering some fact. However, a person who tells a lie does not simply look away. He may begin to rub his lower or upper eyelid, touch his eyelashes, as if trying to close his eyes. Women who have applied makeup involuntarily change this gesture so as not to erase the shadows, eyeliner or mascara: they begin to stroke the upper part of the cheek, lightly touch the skin under the eyebrows, etc.

Try to determine how relevant and timely . If his movements are somewhat slow, he is most likely lying. At such moments, a person consciously tries to repeat ordinary, easily readable movements, but does this at the wrong time, because he does not act spontaneously. For example, when angry, people sometimes slam the table, and first they perform the gesture and then start talking, or they do both almost simultaneously. A liar, trying to play the role of a person angry with suspicion, will first begin to speak and only then slam his hand.

Video on the topic

Research shows that 70 to 90 percent of our interactions are nonverbal. Let's find out what a man actually says when he talks to you.

Instructions

How to become a lie detector Body language is a reflex. Scientists have found that everything we feel first manifests itself in the limbic system of the brain, and only a few nanoseconds later in our consciousness. That is, gestures and body movements are the truest truth. At first glance, becoming a lie detector is very simple, because all you need to know is what gesture means. However, even the most highly qualified specialists will be able to determine the meaning of physical reactions only by 60%. To increase your chances of correctly reading your man's body language, you need to look at how he behaves in his natural environment, take into account poor lighting, the number of glasses of champagne drunk and many other factors. Simply put, take a closer look at your chosen one as closely as possible. Only then will you be able to determine his behavior when “something goes wrong.” Ask a man a simple question, for example, what he wanted to become as a child. And after he relaxes, evaluate his behavior on four levels: comfort, environment, consistency, combination.

How comfortable is he? First of all, evaluate how comfortable his body is. YES: Leans toward you with torso and feet pointed in a direction that allows for eye contact. NO: Turns away from you, hands hidden, or looks at you but constantly looks away.

What does his pose say? Setting: Fidgeting, avoiding prolonged eye contact, nervous? This is normal on a first date. Leaned back with your arms crossed over your chest? Your man does not want to participate in the conversation. But perhaps it’s just very cold in the cafe where you are sitting. Before you can interpret gestures, assess the environment. Consistency: His actions must match his words. If he says he's having a great time with you but looks at the exit, or says yes but shakes his head, these are bad signs. Combination: Most gestures are read better when combined with each other. If a man simply avoids talking about his ex, there is no need to worry. But if, after asking why they broke up, your interlocutor begins to tap his hand on his knee, look to the side, grab his neck, touch his nose, earlobes - beware, something is wrong here!

Is his smile real? See if a smile touched his gaze? A fake smile will only affect the lips, while a real smile will leave tiny wrinkles around the eyes, which experts say are almost impossible to fake. Nose Flared nostrils indicate increased heart rate. This could mean that the man is angry or sexual. Perhaps both at the same time. Torso A person tends to look in the direction of his interest. If a man turns away when talking to you, it means his attention is not focused on you.

Watch your feet People say that the eyes are the window to the soul. But experts are confident that it is the feet that will tell you about a man’s true intentions. It's very simple: if his feet point towards you, you are the object of his attention. If towards the door - mentally he has already left you.

Hands If a man's hands lie on the table and palms up, this is a sign of calm and open interest. And vice versa, the hands of the interlocutor hidden under the table are a sign that he has something to hide, or that your chosen one is simply nervous.

Touching This is how we are designed: what we like, we want to touch. If a man tries to touch your hand or support your waist, rest assured, he is clearly interested in you. On the contrary, the gesture when a man hides his hands behind his back directly hints to you “Don’t come close!” Legs If a man sits with his legs spread wide apart, he feels like he is in control of the situation. If his legs are crossed, pay attention to where the leg on top is facing: towards you or in the opposite direction?

Eyes Everyone knows that when a person lies, he tries to hide his eyes. Notorious liars know this axiom better than others and try not to give themselves away. And they lie, looking straight into your eyes. Pay attention to how often your interlocutor blinks. A normal person blinks 6 to 10 times per minute. More often than not, blinking is a sign that you are being deceived.

Listen carefully Ask a direct question and listen. A man may avoid a direct answer and will say something like: “I’m a good guy. Do you really think I’m capable of this?” Or, on the contrary, he will answer with a lot of details and details. Remember, in both cases he is trying to deceive you.

Your Body Language Keep your body open and relaxed. If you want to impress a man, be his mirror: lean towards him when he leans towards you, raise your glass at the same time as him, imitate his gestures, copy his tone of voice. This way he will feel that you are very similar, that you are “on the same wavelength.”

Sources:

• Elle.com

Almost at the molecular level, people have a desire to tell lies. In some it is weakly expressed, others can be considered pathological liars. However, not everyone wants to see themselves deceived. Only a few are able to determine when they are being lied to, since this is not an easy task.

Instructions

First of all, pay attention to facial expressions and gestures. Rare liars are able to resist reflexes.

A liar avoids eye contact. If you want to confuse him, try to catch his gaze.

If you managed to look into his eyes, you will see that his icons are narrowed.

The liar moves stiffly, his gestures are awkward. He really wants to distract himself from the “righteous” lie, so he often touches his face or fiddles with his clothes.

With a particularly big lie, the interlocutor loses power over his voice. Raised tones indicate tension that the speaker is experiencing. A soft voice may be an attempt to lull the victim's vigilance. Fast speech hints that the liar wants to quickly give away his invention before he forgets it. Mumbling or sharp attacks in the voice are a sign that a person is afraid of being discovered.

The discrepancy between gestures and words also reveals a liar. For example, he nods when he answers negatively.

Inept liars are often hesitant in their words. They also do not want to answer questions or take a long time to give advice, and then it turns out confusing for them.

A liar focuses too much on the details, fearing that his or her story will be implausible or create an awkward pause.

A liar will willingly change the topic of conversation if you give him this opportunity.

Video on the topic

note

In some cases, such signs may appear in people who are innocent of lies. But they usually either refuse to talk or keep interrupting you with their explanations. They begin to defend themselves before they are accused, while liars wait for attention first.

Sources:

• How to tell when someone is lying to you.

People lie very often. There are few who would not lie once a day. In most cases, these lies only embellish the reality. But there are people who always lie - whether it is necessary or not, whether it is beneficial for them or not.

What is a lie

Lying is hiding the truth. There are few people who, in response to the routine question “how are you?” will begin to give a lengthy answer. Most likely, it will be one or two words “good”, “normal”, “bad”, “so-so”, etc. But even a person is cunning in most cases. It is unlikely that he is actually interested in how his interlocutor is doing. It’s just politeness, a tradition – to take an interest in each other’s affairs when meeting. In this situation, both are lying.

Lies come in different forms. There are daily lies that are told by all people without exception. Such lies are no longer perceived by people as such. For example, the standard phrase “how are you” is an example of an everyday lie. There are white lies - a liar tries to hide the truth, believing that a lie is better. There are lies for the greater good - then the truth is hidden so as not to harm other people.

There are many aspects of lying. One lie smoothly flows into another, and from everyday lies a lie for good can grow. From lies to salvation, daily lies can be born.

What is deceit

Falsehood is the desire to create a wrong impression about events and facts. Deceit is contrary to universal human norms and rules, which are based on the need to have a correct understanding of society and circumstances.

A wrong impression of events is not always the result of deceit. Sometimes this is a consequence of underdeveloped thinking or the inability to distinguish between what is desired and what is real, for example, children lie unconsciously.

A completely different case - pathological deceit. She has a belief in the reality of fiction. In life, deceit occurs in an atmosphere of hostility, competition and suspicion. Its assessment is possible only if the motives and reasons are correctly understood. Falsehood is overcome as a result of education, provided there is complete trust between the pupil and.

There are a lot of tests on how to test yourself for deceit. Although, you can do without them. Ask yourself how often do I lie? Simple steps will help you answer this question.

Get yourself a notepad or notebook. On each sheet, mark the day - how many days you conduct the research, mark that many sheets. The longer you take your test, the more accurate the results will be.

Every day, record conversations with colleagues, family, friends, etc. It is not at all necessary to quote them in full, it is enough just to note the meaning of these conversations.

Note the phrases and moments when you lied. It is best to do this immediately after conversations so that nothing is erased from memory. Mark not only your phrases when you lie, but also those in response to which you lie.

For the purity of the experiment, divide the sheet into several columns, in which mark where and with whom you are talking. For example – home/work/public places or friends/colleagues/friends/relatives.

Analyze your notes: where, when, how and to whom you lie. The analysis of your records is purely individual. You can consider yourself a deceitful person if your notes contain more than 30% unfounded lies.

Nobody wants to be deceived. This is why it is so important to learn how to identify liars, because they often unknowingly “confess” to their own lies. A little knowledge and attentiveness will help you bring the deceiver to clean water.

In any case, remember that it is always harder for a liar than for you, in the sense that he experiences a certain discomfort, because he feels that there is a possibility of his exposure. If he has complete control over his gestures, which is not easy, but can be done, then it will certainly be easier for him to make mistakes in speech with the help of your leading questions.

So, the person who is trying to deceive you is trying in every possible way to divert your attention from the essence of the conversation, diluting his speech with useless facts in order to be more convincing and, as it seems to him, to present to our attention a more plausible picture.

When your opponent frequently uses the words from your question in conversation, this indicates that he is not being honest with you. Also, if he turns a serious conversation into a joke, you know that he is trying to lie to you. You can also tell by the pace of his speech that he is lying to you. If speech with frequent changes in tempo and intonation, pauses, then the person is insincere.

Showing strong emotions usually indicates that your opponent is trying to cover up his true motives and divert your attention. Follow your gaze. If a person often looks away while talking, then he is lying to you. I hope these observations will help you bring clarity to your interactions with people you suspect are being insincere with you.

Tip 12: Polygraph is not the best way to find out the truth

Many people believe that the most effective method to find out the truth is to use a polygraph. If some errors occur, then everything is attributed to the inexperience of the specialist who conducts the test, but in no case does anyone suspect the equipment to be untruthful.

In various sources you can read that the truth of the test is 97%, or even higher. On the contrary, the stated indicators of this equipment are not entirely accurate. This false information is confirmed by both the specialists who conduct the inspection and the interested structures. First of all, this is done in order to increase demand for the use of this type of service. In addition, this type of service is not cheap, which means it brings good income. Also, when performing this test, even before it begins, a psychological impact is exerted on the subject. Therefore, the specialist will win even before the inspection begins.

A polygraph can be used by an ordinary social psychopath. This is explained by the fact that he cannot adequately perceive and assess the situation, and he also lacks such a concept as morality. Liars can also easily deceive this recited device. Often they themselves sincerely believe in what they say, so they perceive their speech as the truth. Talented actors also cope with this task easily. It is also easy to deceive the polygraph and secret troops who have the appropriate training.

In order to successfully pass a polygraph, you need to get rid of guilt and overcome your fear. You need to be confident, even if there are some sins in the past.

A lie detector is used not only when interviewing criminals and witnesses. When a person takes a serious job that involves a certain level of secrecy and requires compliance with internal security rules, he is given a polygraph test. What is the principle of operation of the device, and does it actually show the correct information?

What is a polygraph

A lie detector is a device that records changes in several physiological parameters at once while the person being examined is asked different questions. How to pass a polygraph well? You need to know that the technical device records pulse rate, respiration, blood pressure, and electrocutaneous activity. A modern device is a mobile personal computer equipped with sensors and sensor units. During the study, polygrams are written, which are deciphered by a specialist - a polygraph examiner.

Polygraphs are offered to some crime participants and witnesses. The expert makes his conclusion based on the results of the polygram, but it is not conclusive evidence of guilt. The second area of ​​application of a lie detector is interviewing candidates for certain positions in private business, in closed structures (police, Ministry of Internal Affairs, FSB and other intelligence services). This way, specialists learn about the moral and psychological qualities of the applicant and conduct routine checks. For the person being tested, this procedure is free, and the customer pays a considerable price for testing.

How does a polygraph test work?

On average, testing takes about 2 hours, but in some cases the procedure takes longer – up to 4 hours. The polygraph takes longer if the person being examined exhibits inappropriate reactions, or it becomes necessary to ask a few more leading questions in order to put together a complete picture. Before you learn how to pass a polygraph, you need to familiarize yourself with the stages of the procedure:

1. Preparatory. Includes collecting data about a potential or current employee.
2. Pre-test conversation. The person is required to explain the purpose of the check and list his rights. The specialist must indicate that the procedure is voluntary and inquire about the candidate’s health status. This allows you to later adjust the results or reschedule the test for another time. The polygraph examiner clarifies the data collected at the previous stage.
3. Polygraph test. The subject is asked a series of questions combined into blocks. The specialist puts into practice one of the existing techniques developed for different cases.
4. Final. The person is asked to say something on the merits of the inspection, if such a need arises. When physiological reactions differ from the norm, the applicant is asked to explain the reasons for this.

What questions are asked when applying for a job?

Those who are about to take a lie detector test for the first time experience some anxiety. When applying for a job, polygraphs are used more often today than before (especially in Moscow and other large cities), so you should be mentally prepared for the testing procedure. At the same time, the employer does not violate the law. What questions are asked at the polygraph in this case? Tests are divided into three types: factual, tuning, and correctional. Questions can be answered “yes” or “no”.

How to successfully pass a polygraph? Be prepared for the fact that online (when you are connected to the device) you will be asked about theft, drug use, alcohol, smoking, and gambling addiction. Often the topic of conversation becomes the presence of loans and debts, criminal history, and relatives with a criminal record. You will need to answer whether you have malicious intentions towards the company.

Is it possible to fool a polygraph?

Lie detector technology provides for recording any emotional state. The less visible the difference in reactions when answering ordinary and especially tricky questions, the more benefit you will have. Countering this device is possible. Pathological liars, professional actors and social psychopaths know how to fool a lie detector (because they do not always adequately perceive social norms). However, even an ordinary person can pass the test.

How to fool a polygraph? You should put aside all fears about the device and the testing procedure, get rid of the feelings of guilt, doubt, and tension. Calm, unfeigned self-confidence and a focus on the results you want will help you bypass the device. Using a lie detector is a probabilistic method of testing, which does not guarantee 100% reliability.

How to pass a lie detector without problems

The main advice is to answer questions truthfully. A few more important rules will help you figure out how to pass a polygraph without problems:

• Get plenty of rest the night before the test. Follow your usual routine.
• Eat to feel full, wear comfortable clothes.
• If you are taking medications, tell your specialist. Do not use sedatives or antidepressants.
• Behave naturally and correctly: don’t be tight, don’t try to hide your emotional reactions (unless you want to deceive the device).
• Be prepared for the most tricky questions, read them in advance if possible.
• Don't give hasty answers; no one should rush you. However, do not think deeply into the essence of the issue, otherwise you may have doubts.
• Do not withhold any information related to the issue, as this may also affect the results of the audit.

Video: how a lie detector test is performed

Even trained, experienced professionals can find it difficult to discern what is true and what is false in the information they are given. In such cases, a special device comes to the rescue.

To avoid giving yourself unnecessary reasons to be nervous, use our tips:

• Plan your time. Typically, a polygraph test takes from 90 minutes to 3 hours.
• To successfully pass polygraph testing, try to get rid of feelings of guilt and fear. You need to feel confident, despite some sins in the past (and who is sinless?).
• Get a good night's sleep the night before your examination. There is no need to take tranquilizers, psychotropic drugs, or alcohol. If you have any diseases or are taking prescribed medications, inform the polygraph examiner, because in such cases, you yourself will feel uncomfortable and this may lead to a distortion of the final results. Do not try to hide any negative facts from the past, because... It’s not a fact that they will be a hindrance, for example, when starting a new job.
• The questions asked on a lie detector are discussed before the test, they should be clear to you, study them, ask the polygraph examiner to give you the clarifications of the questions you need.
• Give your consent to the test. No one can force you to take a polygraph. Refusal to take a lie detector test is not a reason to refuse admission to you (the exception is access to trade secrets).
• During an interview, during an examination, respond to questions calmly, answer truthfully; if misunderstandings arise, explain to the polygraph examiner calmly and in detail.
• Your sincerity, straightforwardness and composure will help you pass the polygraph without any problems.
• If you are nervous, it’s not scary; on the contrary, the lack of emotional reactions to significant issues looks suspicious. If you don’t understand something, ask the question to be repeated.
• Don't try to use any tricks to distort the result. They will be noticed immediately and the study may be rescheduled for another time, or your results will be given a more severe assessment.
• After the examination, you can talk to a polygraph examiner to see if he has any reason to doubt.

Some medicines can be more dangerous than the diseases themselves.
Seneca the Elder

Fifteen years ago, not everyone knew about the existence of a polygraph (in common parlance, a lie detector) in our country. This ingenious device was something infinitely distant and was associated more with spy romance. Today, the polygraph has become an everyday reality of the personnel business - the cause of mild panic among job seekers and constant headaches for employees of many companies.

Lie detector are increasingly used in screening candidates for employment, routine personnel checks and conducting internal investigations. Even small and medium-sized enterprises quite often resort to the services of polygraph examiners, and a significant number of large companies have long acquired their own equipment and staff specialists - polygraph operators.

What is behind this desire of the employer to control the employee at the physiological level? Perhaps an attempt to directly influence him as a psychophysiological automaton receiving a salary, sort of controlled by the springs of Buratino’s passions and reflexes. It may be recalled that the very invention of the lie detector is associated with the criminological concept of the “innate criminal.” The roots of the polygraph in general must be sought there, in Europe of the 19th century, the time of inborn criminals and “reasonable egoists.” Man by nature is an evil and selfish animal, says naturalistic anthropology. You can curb the rampant vicious passions not with convictions and good wishes, but with direct influence on the most powerful of emotions - fear. To some extent, the polygraph is the heir to the gloomy machinery of secret offices and inquisitorial basements. Despite all the external harmlessness of this small device, its main calling is the same uncontrollable, animal fear. Want to learn more about the modern fear machine? Then welcome to the brave new world of polygraphs and polygraph examiners.

What kind of device is this?

Translated from Greek, “polygraph” means “many records.” A polygraph device (also called a “lie detector”, “variograph”, “plethysmograph”, “bark detector”) is a multi-channel oscilloscope designed for simultaneous recording of several (from 4 to 16) physiological processes associated with the occurrence of emotions: breathing , blood pressure, galvanic skin response, biocurrents (brain, heart, skeletal and smooth muscles, etc.). The device allows you to monitor the slightest changes in a person’s psychophysiological state, and on the basis of these data, the polygraph operator draws conclusions about the character and inclinations of the person being tested, as well as about the correspondence or non-conformity of the information presented by him with reality. This device costs $5-$8 thousand. The common name “lie detector” is incorrect. A lie does not have specific manifestations, but it causes increased psycho-emotional tension and stress due to a person’s desire to hide the truth. This voltage is recorded by the sensors of the device.

The first prototype of the polygraph - the hydrosphygometer - was first created and used back in 1895 by the famous Italian psychiatrist Cesare Lombroso, who proposed measuring changes in blood pressure to determine the veracity of the answers of crime suspects. The first polygraph suitable for crime investigation was created in the United States in 1921 by a police officer. John Larsen. This device recorded changes in heart rate, pressure and breathing rhythm.

The use of a polygraph in personnel practice of private entrepreneurship

In the 50s and 60s in the USA, polygraph tests began to be actively carried out in private enterprise, and by the mid-80s there were more than 5 thousand professional polygraph operators. Such widespread use of the device caused many conflicts, in which the state had to act as an arbiter. In June 1988, the United States passed the Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA), designed to strictly regulate its use in private business. Laws in 21 states generally prohibit private employers from conducting polygraph tests on applicants.

In general, the use of the polygraph in Western business is not limited to the personnel sector. For example, insurance companies in the UK use lie detectors to weed out malicious fraudulent clients. True, the version of the polygraph used by insurers is quite different from the classic box with wires and is simply a program that analyzes sound recordings, designed to detect lies by changes in a person’s intonation.

Polygraph in the service of the HR department: pros and cons

The use of a polygraph in personnel practice is necessary mainly for those organizations that have an extensive sales network or branches located far from the central office, says Roman Ustyuzhanin, General Director of Omega Consulting. He tells such a curious incident. One of the clients of Omega Consulting lost $8-10 thousand worth of goods every month due to theft. After a total polygraph test of the staff, the disappearance of goods stopped completely, and not a single person was fired!
However, Timofey Nestik, a researcher at the Institute of Psychology of the Russian Academy of Sciences and a teacher at the Business School of the Academy of National Economy, gives the opposite example. The third theft occurred in one of the stores selling computer devices. To identify the culprits, all seven employees of the outlet were put through a lie detector. At the same time, it seems that no one was caught. It turned out that such a check is not so difficult to bypass. But the main problem is that after this incident the thefts became more frequent: after all, the management demonstrated that they did not trust anyone in this team.
Valery Oskin, chairman of the Personnel Territory club and director of the Association of Personnel Selection Consultants, believes that although a polygraph can help to understand conflict and criminal situations, many highly qualified employees and top managers refuse to go to companies that use lie detectors in personnel practice, because they believe such a test is humiliating. Regularly conducting such checks noticeably worsens the morale of the team. Dismissal of an employee for refusing to take a polygraph test will almost certainly be overturned in court if it becomes the subject of litigation. Due to such high costs, lie detectors are rarely used in personnel practice.

How is the verification process carried out?

A modern polygraph is a sensor unit connected to a computer and equipped with a set of sensors, which is a small box slightly larger than a pack of cigarettes.
The standard set of sensors is as follows: two breathing sensors, which are worn on the chest and abdomen, galvanic skin response (GSR) sensors, which are worn on the fingers, a sensor for measuring pulse rate and vascular blood flow - on the finger. More advanced polygraphs are also equipped with sensors for measuring blood pressure. Auxiliary tremor sensors can be used to record the respondent’s attempts to change his psychophysiological state by applying muscle effort.
He talks about his experience with the polygraph Alexey S., senior employee of the security department of the holding company: “When applying for employment in our company, applicants must undergo a polygraph test. At one time I did not escape this fate either. At the beginning of testing, the operator psychologist explained to me that I should not move my head, arms, legs or eyes, should not swallow saliva or strain my muscles. During testing, you need to look at one point. The check began with routine questions from the questionnaire: “Do you live there? Were you born then?” Very soon I began to feel like a real criminal against humanity, and far from the smallest one. The most harmless of the subsequent questions were: “Do you have connections with criminal organizations?”, “Do you abuse alcohol?” “Do you use drugs?” Sweat poured out in a continuous stream. And so on for three hours straight, with rare smoke breaks. My arms and legs became numb and numb, and there was a feeling of unreality of what was happening: as if I had become the hero of an old Soviet film about partisans during interrogation by the Gestapo. The final chord of the test was the operator’s request to answer 900 test questions after completing the polygraph examination. This was probably a kind of psychological move, designed to weed out weak-hearted candidates: it took me a lot of willpower to control myself and not start destroying expensive equipment. I left the office exhausted and completely dehydrated, as if I had been unloading cars with coal for the past 24 hours. And at the same time I felt like I was born again: I grew more confident that I had passed the polygraph test successfully... The ending of the story is happy - I was hired, although three-quarters of applicants, according to our statistics, do not pass such a professional selection.”

How to prepare for a polygraph test and pass it successfully?

Some advice regarding behavior during a polygraph examination is given by Elena Bespalova, polygraph examiner with many years of experience: “The most important thing is to get a good night’s sleep before the examination. During the pre-test conversation and during the test, I recommend answering honestly, if necessary, explaining in detail possible controversial issues. Under no circumstances should you use tranquilizers, psychotropic drugs or alcohol on the eve of the test. Even if you had any violations at previous places of work or some negative aspects in your biography, it is not at all necessary that they will be an obstacle to employment in a new place. The main thing is to be honest about this during the pre-test conversation, and not try to hide anything. It should be remembered that the average law-abiding person has nothing to fear from polygraph testing. The motto should be: openness, frankness, calm. An experienced polygraph examiner will be able to relieve stress from the person being tested and set up the equipment in such a way that the emotions of the person being tested do not affect the results of the examination.”

Is it good or bad?

I never found a clear answer. Obviously, the only conclusion that can be drawn comes down to the following rule: the polygraph is an effective tool for solving specific problems, but it is extremely dangerous as a regular measure to maintain a sense of corporate loyalty among employees. To create an atmosphere of trust in a company, obviously, completely different means must be used.
Polygraph testing of all employees, both during preliminary screening and during work, will do more harm than good. Firstly, the level of motivation to work and employee loyalty to management decreases, the moral and psychological climate in the team often worsens, and staff turnover increases. Secondly, the use of a polygraph scares off many promising applicants when applying for a job. In conditions of increasing competition for qualified personnel in the labor market, the systematic use of a lie detector during screening can negatively affect the competitiveness of the enterprise as a whole.
A separate problem is the lack of qualifications of many polygraph operators. This is largely due to the assembly line production of polygraph examiners for the commercial sector. According to Roman Ustyuzhanin, about 500 people work in this field in Russia, but no more than 50 of them are true masters of their craft. In any case, the management of an enterprise should think ten times before deciding to use a polygraph in their company: the use of this powerful weapon may turn out to be counterproductive.

Vladimir Makarov
www.hh.ru

Lyudmila Ivanovna Kuzmicheva, head of the Department of Consulting and Legal Protection of the Moscow City Legal Center “Zashchita”, and Natalya Petrovna Borodina, head of the Department of Legal Information and Codification of the Moscow State Legal Center “Zashchita”, talk about the legal aspects of polygraph checks by commercial companies:

The ban on the use of a polygraph by employers is not reflected in the norms of the current Labor Code of the Russian Federation.
However, the use of a polygraph in the work of personnel services is prohibited by the Code of Practice for the Protection of Personal Data about Employees, developed by experts of the International Labor Organization and officially approved by the Administrative Council in 1996. The Code, in particular, states that “polygraphs and other equipment for determining the veracity of answers are not must be applied" by the employer in relation to the employee.

- How justified is the use of polygraphs in the practice of commercial companies from an economic point of view?

In our opinion, this is unjustified. In modern conditions, one of the factors for the effective economic activity of an organization is the presence of mutual trust and social partnership between employees and the employer, this allows maintaining high motivation of employees to work. What kind of mutual trust and partnership can we talk about when using techniques such as polygraph testing? In this case, employees will sit and shake with fear waiting for an inspection instead of doing their job, and their motivation to work will disappear.
And when selecting job applicants, it is much more effective to use traditional methods, in particular, testing and interviews with a competent psychologist.

- What should an employee do if he is forced to undergo a polygraph test under threat of dismissal or if he was fired based on the results of this test?

The data obtained during polygraph testing cannot be used when making personnel decisions regarding an employee, and the results of polygraph testing cannot serve as a basis for refusing employment to a job applicant. In any case, written consent of the person being tested is required for testing.
If an employee was fired from work as a result of the fact that he refused to take a polygraph test or failed to pass it successfully, then he should file a lawsuit for reinstatement at work. It is extremely difficult to dismiss an employee legally; as practice shows, the vast majority of claims for reinstatement are won by dismissed employees. Alternative options are possible - contact the labor inspectorate or the prosecutor's office, the labor dispute commission, if the enterprise has one, or trade union organizations, if the employee is a member of a trade union.
A job candidate who has been denied employment has the right to demand from the employer a written justification for such a decision and to go to court with this paper. However, it is very difficult to win such claims.

From all that has been said, we can conclude that polygraph testing is not an insurmountable obstacle to employment and cannot serve as a basis for dismissal. Workers should firmly stand up for their rights and remember that forcing them to undergo a polygraph test under threat of dismissal is illegal.