Examination Techniques 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 Examination Techniques flashcards as text
Under APA standards, what is the recommended inter-question interval (silence between questions) during chart collection?
Answer: 20–25 seconds
APA guidelines recommend approximately 20–25 seconds between questions to allow physiological responses to return to baseline before the next stimulus.
The 'Backster Zone Comparison Technique' evaluates physiological data in three zones. Which zone is associated with the 'fear of detection' spot?
Answer: Green zone
In Backster's ZCT, the green zone corresponds to the area of the chart where fear-of-detection-related responses associated with comparison questions are expected.
An examinee in a specific-issue examination claims to have no memory of the event in question. The examiner's best course of action is to:
Answer: Conduct a Peak of Tension test to probe for recognition
A POT test can identify whether an examinee who claims amnesia actually recognizes specific details of the event, providing diagnostic information despite the memory claim.
In federal law enforcement polygraph practice, which examination format is mandated by the Department of Defense Polygraph Institute (DoDPI) for use in national security screening?
Answer: Test for Espionage and Sabotage (TES)
The Test for Espionage and Sabotage (TES) is the DoDPI-mandated format for national security screening examinations within federal agencies.
When a numerical chart score falls in the 'inconclusive' range, the examiner should:
Answer: Conduct additional charts or report the result as inconclusive per format standards
Inconclusive results indicate insufficient data for a definitive decision, and the examiner may run additional charts or report the outcome as inconclusive without inferring deception.
Which of the following behaviors during chart collection would most strongly suggest the use of physical countermeasures by an examinee?
Answer: Consistent suppression of EDA during comparison questions with simultaneous artifact in the movement sensor
Suppressed EDA responses to comparison questions combined with movement sensor artifacts suggest the examinee is using physical manipulations (e.g., muscle tension) to enhance comparison responses or suppress relevant reactions.
The 'inside track' in Backster's zone comparison analysis refers to:
Answer: The strongest of the two comparison questions flanking a relevant question in the chart sequence
In Backster's framework, the 'inside track' is the comparison question positioned closest (adjacent) to the relevant question, considered most influential in the diagnostic contrast.