Calibration Flashcards
7 cards from real CPE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Calibration flashcards as text
During polygraph calibration, what is the primary purpose of a 'known lie' test?
Answer: To establish a physiological baseline for deception responses
A known lie test establishes a subject-specific physiological baseline so the examiner can identify deception-related responses relative to truthful ones.
Which galvanic skin response (GSR) value during calibration would most likely indicate a sensor placement or contact problem?
Answer: A resistance reading near zero ohms
A near-zero ohm reading typically indicates a short circuit caused by bridging gel or improper electrode contact, not a valid skin conductance signal.
When calibrating the cardiovascular component, the examiner notes the cardio tracing is flat-lined. The most likely cause is:
Answer: The cuff pressure is too low to detect pulse
Insufficient cuff inflation pressure prevents the transducer from detecting arterial pulsation, producing a flat cardiovascular tracing.
A polygraph examiner observes that both pneumograph channels show identical, mirror-image tracings. This most likely indicates:
Answer: A wiring or channel cross-connection error in the instrument
Perfectly identical mirror-image tracings suggest a signal cross-connection or wiring fault rather than a legitimate physiological response.
What does it mean when a polygraph instrument is described as having 'inter-channel synchronization' during calibration?
Answer: All physiological channels record data simultaneously at the same time reference
Inter-channel synchronization ensures that all recorded physiological signals are time-aligned, allowing accurate comparison of responses across channels.
During calibration of a computerized polygraph, the examiner adjusts the 'gain' setting. This adjustment controls:
Answer: The amplitude of the recorded physiological signal
Gain controls the amplification of the physiological signal, directly determining the height (amplitude) of the tracing on the chart.
A subject's baseline electrodermal activity during calibration shows a very slow recovery rate after each stimulus. As an examiner, you should interpret this as:
Answer: A normal physiological variation that may reflect autonomic tone
Recovery rate after electrodermal arousal varies among individuals and reflects normal differences in autonomic nervous system function, not instrument error.