The topic of polygraphs is often aloof with not much information to be found on open-source searches. I sat down with a former government polygraph examiner to see what information I can pass along to our readers. I was able to get some share worthy information and address some commonly asked questions. Welcome to part one of this five-part polygraph series. This first question addresses one of the most common questions we ask ourselves but don’t get to ask the examiner.
Q1: Are Polygraph administrators trained to recognize when people are lying versus being nervous?
A: “Polygraph examiners are not trained to recognize when people are lying versus nervous per se; however, most examiners have taken hours of interview and psychology training. During those trainings examiners develop the ability to read people and use that ability to administer the polygraph more effectively for each examinee. The focus of the polygraph training is to ensure examiners understand how to operate the polygraph instrument and administer a fair and ethical examination.”
I enjoyed the response because it highlights both psychology training and an ethical and fair approach. No one can deny that being nervous is par for the course when it comes time to buckle in. It’s nice to hear that the government recognizes this isn’t a normal everyday test and the nerves are nothing new. Arming their polygraph examiners with these trainings is peace of mind for those who must stop by every few years for our occasional check-up.
