Question Formulation 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 Question Formulation flashcards as text
A question that asks 'Besides what you've already told me, did you lie about anything else regarding this incident?' is an example of a:
Answer: Exclusive relevant question that incorporates prior admissions
This phrasing brackets what the examinee has admitted and focuses the remaining relevant question on any undisclosed deception, making it exclusive with respect to the admission.
In a multiple-facet relevant question, why is it generally advisable to split the question into two separate questions?
Answer: A single question addressing multiple acts is ambiguous and cannot be scored reliably
When one question covers two separate acts, a positive response cannot be attributed to a specific act, rendering the data diagnostically ambiguous.
A 'stimulation test' (stim test) is primarily used to:
Answer: Demonstrate to the examinee that the polygraph can detect deception, strengthening the psychological set
The stim test creates or reinforces the examinee's belief in the instrument's accuracy, which is essential for establishing the psychological dynamics that drive differential responding.
Which factor MOST directly determines whether a comparison question will be more psychologically salient than a relevant question for a truthful examinee?
Answer: The examinee must perceive the comparison question as a greater personal threat than the relevant question
For a truthful examinee, comparison questions must generate more concern than relevant questions; if the examinee perceives the relevant question as more threatening, a deceptive outcome may result.
An examiner notices that a relevant question is consistently producing no reaction across three charts. The MOST appropriate action is to:
Answer: Re-review the question with the examinee to ensure comprehension and psychological salience
A flat response may indicate the question lacks psychological salience for the examinee; re-reviewing and potentially rewording can restore its diagnostic utility.
In which situation is it MOST appropriate to use a 'known-solution' peak of tension (KS-POT) test?
Answer: When the examinee denies all knowledge of the crime and investigators have verified concealed information
A KS-POT is appropriate when investigators possess specific concealed information (e.g., caliber of weapon) that only the perpetrator would recognize, allowing the examiner to present it among plausible alternatives.
According to best practices in question formulation, relevant questions should be phrased in the:
Answer: Past tense, referencing the specific time frame of the alleged act
Relevant questions are framed in past tense and anchored to the specific incident's time frame to focus the examinee's cognition on the actual event under investigation.