Questions asked by research customers and researched people. Is it possible to deceive a polygraph? About this and more.
UKRAINIAN POLYGRAPH ASSOCIATION (UPA) expresses you respect and guarantees respectful and responsible attitude to you and your future during our cooperation.
We are well aware, that your future may depend on the results of your lie detector test, whether you are the customer or the person under investigation. Therefore, we are working hard to ensure that reliability of our conclusions are the highest on the market.
![polygraph test channels volodymyr vedmid association](https://polygraph.biz/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Polygraph-channels_eng-min-1024x559.jpg)
This is how the polygraph examiner conducts the test. The truth of the case is calmly, safely and persistently established. Before the test, the researched person signs a consent form (link at the bottom of the page).
To overcome your fears and anxieties about the future test, we advise you to carefully read all the answers and stop being a hostage to the myths of polygraph.
The answers were provided by the polygraph examiner,
the executive director of
UKRAINIAN POLYGRAPH ASSOCIATION
Volodymyr Vedmid
![](https://polygraph.biz/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/232-247x300.jpeg)
-
Is it possible to deceive a lie detector?
It is impossible to deceive / to deceive / to outwit / to confuse the polygraph. It is equally impossible to do such things with a laptop or monitor since this technique fulfills well-defined algorithms.
Polygraph is a complex and very sensitive device. Modern polygraphs record up to nine reflexively changing psychophysiological parameters, which ensures high accuracy of results.
The errors of the lie detector are not the errors of the device, but of the polygraph examiner specialist. Inadequate qualifications are what can actually lead to wrong results.
An experienced specialist will not be misled by drug blockers, “folk remedies” or even by specially trained people.
We know about all the ways / tools / approaches / tips on the Internet and other sources to counteract polygraph checks: getting yourself pain, getting not enough sleep, ten cups of coffee / tea, soothing, abstracting from reality, meditation – for every of these methods of counteraction there are appropriate detection methods.
If the polygraph examiner discovers the counteraction, he or she clearly states this in the conclusion, and the customer makes the appropriate decisions regarding the responding person.
Please do not counteract, do not complicate your life, the counteraction will be detected, and then you will need to look for an excuse.
-
What is the accuracy of the results of the polygraph test?
There are no results with 99.9% confidence – this is just an advertising move by some polygraph examiners who want to get an order at any cost.
The real, fair percentage of the result is between 85% and 97%.
In each individual case, the polygraph examiner examines the customer’s situation in detail and creates an individualized test system without using outdated templates.
Every day the experience of more than 200 UPA members provides an opportunity to improve the research methodology and to be the leader of the lie detection market in Ukraine.
-
Is a polygraph harmful for health?
The lie detector is completely safe!
Speaking of some health damage, in most cases it is an exacerbation of chronic diseases.
Indeed, there are a number of diseases in which polygraph testing is contraindicated: these are severe pathologies of the cardiovascular system and psychosomatic disorders.
That is why any check on a lie detector involves a preliminary conversation, during which the controversial issues are obligatory to be clarified.
-
Can an "emotional" person be wrongly accused?
The lie detector examines memory and captures psycho-physiological responses when given appropriate stimulus.
The “emotionality” of the subject, the type of his nervous system, has absolutely no effect on the result, since even a very emotional person will not show any reaction that would be indicative of deception if the memory of the subject has no trace of the requested event.
The overall background of an emotional person’s true answers may be high, but qualitatively his reactions will not have informative signs that would indicate an attempt to conceal or distort the information that is reported during a polygraph check.
-
What questions can be put to research?
Polygraph studies only submit questions about specific actions / events in the past that are stored in the memory of the responded person.
It is inappropriate to bring questions about feelings, beliefs, preferences, predictions, and other subjective judgments to research. These questions are evaluative in their nature and are not subject to high confidence.
We will give you answers to the following questions:
- Did the person steal money from the safe?
- Does the person know where the stolen items are?
- Did the person participate in a crime (fraud, beating, murder, rape)?
- Did the person pass on confidential information to third parties?
- Did the person have sexual relations with others during your marriage?
- Did the person get kickbacks from suppliers?
- Did the person collect incriminating information on the owner or company?
We will not answers the following questions:
- Does the person love me?
- Will the person be fair to behave in the future?
- Will the person organize a fraud scheme in the future?
-
Does polygraph cause pain?
UPA polygraph examiners do not use polygraphs that cause pain in humans.
Most US-made polygraphs cause severe discomfort through tight cuffs that measure blood pressure, and cause pain in long-term research.
We use USB-powered polygraphs (5 volts – no electric shock) and do not include sensors that cause discomfort and / or pain.
-
What are the limitations of conducting a research with use of polygraph?
Not subject to polygraph testing:
- Person with severe physical or psychological exhaustion.
- Person with mental illness or disorder.
- Person with diseases of the cardiovascular or respiratory system.
- Person who are in a state of alcohol or drugs.
- Pregnant women.
- Employees of special services (only with the written consent of management).
- Minors under 14 years of age. Persons aged 14 to 16 may be interviewed for particularly grave crimes in the presence of their parents or other guardians.
-
What are the documents for research?
The person undergoing the polygraph test must have a passport or other ID card with photo.
In addition, everyone who undergoes research must complete and sign the following written consent:
Full Name (printed) ___________________________,
Address ________________________
Date of Birth: ___________
Mobile tel. _________________
I hereby understand the following points of polygraph examination:
- My refusal to do polygraph examination cannot be considered as a fact of concealing (hiding) information or as a reason to restrict my rights, freedoms and legitimate interests.
- In the process of examination only previously discussed questions can be asked.
- I can refuse to continue the examination at any moment.
- As a result of the examination the report will be submitted and passed over to the initiator of this examination.
- I am informed that examination is harmless and safe for my health.
I hereby claim that at the present moment I feel or have neither of the following states:
- staying in a state of narcotic or alcoholic intoxication;
- acute period of somatic or psychic diseases;
- sharp pain;
- body intoxication;
- diseases with acute cardio-vascular or respiratory failure;
- traumas, injuries, anatomical anomaly, fingers frostbite or the upper limbs amputation;
- birth or acquired mental retardation in the middle or late stage;
- regular treatment by strong medicaments or psychotropic substances, which effect the central nervous system, cardio-vascular or respiratory system;
- pregnancy;
- after heart attack or stroke in recent years.
By signing this Consent Form, I agree to have polygraph examination and I am ready to follow the examination rules, as I am interested in getting reliable results.
I consent to the use and processing of my personal data.
This my consent is given voluntarily, without any forcing, pressure or other illegal methods to influence my will from outside or interested people.
I am a confident user of English. I have chosen ___________ for polygraph examination myself.
I don’t mind video- and audio-recording during the examination.
I am informed about the following:
- Polygraph examination is approximately 1-2 hours long.
- I must not counteract (resist) to the examination. I must not create any conditions to distort (falsify) the examination results. Any attempts of resisting or cheating are easy to define, and it will be considered as counteraction to the polygraph examination.
- A polygraph examiner’s questions can be not only business- and work-related, but also about my personality. At the same time, any questions concerning sexual propensities, political or religious preferences are excluded.
- Testing process doesn’t cause any harm or damage to my health or life. Polygraph testing is organized by special rules where a person’s physical reactions are screened and scored with the help of a polygraph machine.
- I must answer every question of the polygraph examiner in monosyllables (in a short and clear way). At the same time, the same questions can be repeated in order to exclude accidental reactions.
- Article 63 of the Constitution of Ukraine: a person has no responsibility for refusing to provide data or explanations regarding themselves, relatives or others stated by the law.
I hereby consent to pass all the examination materials over to the initiator of this examination: _____________________________
After completing the polygraph examination, I confirm that I don’t have any complaints against the polygraph examiner and the conditions of the polygraph examination.
Signature _________ “___” ___________ 20__
-
Is the presence of third parties possible when conducting the study?
It is recommended to conduct a polygraph examination only in the presence of a polygraph examiner and a subject with mandatory video recording, provided that the respondent is an adult and speaks the language in which he / she will be tested.
The presence of third parties is not strictly forbidden, but negatively affects the reliability of the result.
For the customer, on his wish, it will be given the opportunity to observe the test online.
-
Is it possible to conduct research on the customer's territory?
Conducting the researches on the customer’s territory is possible if there is a quiet space, the walls are pastel shades with maintaining the room temperature.
In addition, there should be a table, two chairs and an electrical outlet.
The optimal area from 12 to 20 square meters.
UPA has offices in all major cities of Ukraine, including several offices in the city of Kyiv, which allows conducting research throughout the territory of Ukraine at the same time at the same time without additional travel expenses for customers.
-
How long is the research going and when do I get the conclusion?
The duration of the main part of the research (the test itself) averages from 60 to 150 minutes.
At this stage, the person answers the questions of the polygraph examiner and, if necessary, gives his / her explanations.
In addition, you should keep in mind the stages of preparation for research and analysis, which vary from time to time, from one to several hours.
In any case, you will receive a conclusion on the results of the research within one business day after the test.
-
Is it possible to examine events that took place many years ago?
It is possible.
All facts and knowledge that have been reflected in long-term memory are subject to research.
Be sure that person remembered that he/she:
- participated in the crime;
- cheated;
- worked for competitors;
- received “kickbacks” and / or “left wages”;
- committed fraud
-
How many questions can be asked in one research?
To achieve the most accurate result, we recommend you to ask not more than five questions per one research. A larger number of questions significantly reduces the percentage of the outcome.
Under these five, the polygraph examiner develops a one-to-one test system that contains 100 to 200 questions. About 35-50 questions are aimed to find out one question.
The test lasts from one to two hours, during which it is simply impossible to ask more than 200 questions. Test duration of more than 2 hours is not allowed, as the person gets tired, adaptation leads to the absence of informative reactions.
That is, in order to get an answer to one of the customer’s questions, the polygraph examiner is obliged to use the whole set of methodological techniques in order to achieve the most reliable result. Exception may be screening (personnel) checks, in which questions can be more than five, but not more than 8-10.
In each individual case, after examining your situation, the polygraph examiner will offer you the optimal number of questions with the most correct wording.
-
How properly to offer to take the test on a polygraph?
When resolving this issue, it is important to remember that research on the polygraph should only be carried out after obtaining written consent.
We suggest offering a polygraph test as an opportunity for a person to refute all suspicions and confirm their claims. In no case can a person be blamed before the check.
Discussion of possible testing is conducted calmly and rationally, and it is worth recalling the benefits of passing the test.
If you do not know how best to offer polygraph research, specialists of the Ukrainian Polygraph Association are always happy to help you!
-
Will the person be able to prepare for the test and deceive the polygraph if he or she was warned the test in advance?
A person can “prepare” but CANNOT deceive!
In any case, it is necessary to warn the person of the research in advance.
It is impossible to prepare for verification! Of course, you will find many ways in global network how to “trick” a lie detector, but in practice they only help an experienced polygraph expert in the work.
Before the test, a person can use a considerable amount of counteraction, but all these remedies are constantly encountered in everyday practice.
Polygraph is a complex and very sensitive device. Modern polygraphs record up to nine reflexively changing psychophysiological parameters, which ensures high accuracy of results.
The errors of the lie detector are not the errors of the device, but of the polygraph examiner specialist. Inadequate qualifications are what can actually lead to wrong results.
An experienced specialist will not be misled by drug blockers, “folk remedies” or even by specially trained people.
We know about all the ways / tools / approaches / tips on the Internet and other sources to counteract polygraph checks: getting yourself pain, getting not enough sleep, ten cups of coffee / tea, soothing, abstracting from reality, meditation – for every of these methods of counteraction there are appropriate detection methods.
If the polygraph examiner discovers the counteraction, he or she clearly states this in the conclusion, and the customer makes the appropriate decisions regarding the responding person.
Please do not counteract, do not complicate your life, the counteraction will be detected, and then you will need to look for an excuse.
-
Can I order a polygraph research for myself?
Yes, it is possible.
UPA polygraph examiners have extensive research experience when a person wants to test him/herself. Such investigations are conducted to prove that a person is not involved in any event or misconduct in which the person is suspected.
Also recently there increased incidents of passing the polygraph by candidates for a particular position on their own initiative. With successful passage, the results of the research give a person a significant advantage over their opponents.
-
What do you get after ordering the research?
According to the results of the research on the polygraph, you will receive an official written conclusion from a graduate specialist.
Important: before passing the test always check education (diploma of state sample) and documents of polygraph device: technical passport and certificate of conformity of DSTU 8692: 2016.
Optionally, a specialist will also provide you with a polygram and video.