Going on the Box
Undergoing a lie detector test can be an intimidating experience that can
challenge the nerves of even the most stoic person. You are sitting there
with wires and tubes attached to and wrapped around your body. Even if
you have nothing to hide, you could be afraid that the metal-box
instrument sitting next to you will say otherwise. Fittingly, undergoing the
uncomfortable experience of a polygraph test is often referred to as
"going on the box."
A polygraph exam is a long process that can be divided up into several stages. Here's
how a typical exam might work:
Pretest - This consists of an interview between the examiner and examinee, where
the two individuals get to learn about each other. This may last about one hour. At this
point, the examiner gets the examinee's side of the story concerning the events under
investigation. While the subject is sitting there answering questions, the examiner
also profiles the examinee. The examiner wants to see how the subject responds to
questions and processes information.
Design questions - The examiner designs questions that are specific to the
issue under investigation and reviews these questions with the subject.
In-test - The actual exam is given. The examiner asks 10 or 11 questions, only
three of four of which are relevant to the issue or crime being investigated. The other
questions are control questions. A control question is a very general question, such
as "Have you ever stolen anything in your life?" -- a type of question that is so broad
that almost no one can honestly respond with a "no." If the person answers "no," the
examiner can get an idea of the reaction that the examinee demonstrates when being
deceptive.
Post-test - The examiner analyzes the data of physiological responses and makes
a determination regarding whether the person has been deceptive. If there are
significant fluctuations that show up in the results, this may signal that the subject
has been deceptive, especially if the person displayed similar responses to a
question that was asked repeatedly.
Written Report- A professional written report will be prepared detailing the
Examiners findings.
Undergoing a lie detector test can be an intimidating experience that can
challenge the nerves of even the most stoic person. You are sitting there
with wires and tubes attached to and wrapped around your body. Even if
you have nothing to hide, you could be afraid that the metal-box
instrument sitting next to you will say otherwise. Fittingly, undergoing the
uncomfortable experience of a polygraph test is often referred to as
"going on the box."
A polygraph exam is a long process that can be divided up into several stages. Here's
how a typical exam might work:
Pretest - This consists of an interview between the examiner and examinee, where
the two individuals get to learn about each other. This may last about one hour. At this
point, the examiner gets the examinee's side of the story concerning the events under
investigation. While the subject is sitting there answering questions, the examiner
also profiles the examinee. The examiner wants to see how the subject responds to
questions and processes information.
Design questions - The examiner designs questions that are specific to the
issue under investigation and reviews these questions with the subject.
In-test - The actual exam is given. The examiner asks 10 or 11 questions, only
three of four of which are relevant to the issue or crime being investigated. The other
questions are control questions. A control question is a very general question, such
as "Have you ever stolen anything in your life?" -- a type of question that is so broad
that almost no one can honestly respond with a "no." If the person answers "no," the
examiner can get an idea of the reaction that the examinee demonstrates when being
deceptive.
Post-test - The examiner analyzes the data of physiological responses and makes
a determination regarding whether the person has been deceptive. If there are
significant fluctuations that show up in the results, this may signal that the subject
has been deceptive, especially if the person displayed similar responses to a
question that was asked repeatedly.
Written Report- A professional written report will be prepared detailing the
Examiners findings.
Strategic Security Solutions
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The Five Steps
150 North Michigan Ave. Suite 2800 * Chicago, IL 60601 8695 Archer Ave. Suite 2A * Willow Springs, IL 60480
800 630-9546