Question Formulation Flashcards

When constructing comparison questions for a pre-employment screening polygraph, the examiner should select comparison topics that:

Answer: Involve common dishonest behaviors that virtually all applicants have engaged in to some degree

Effective comparison questions for screening use behaviors common enough that most examinees have engaged in them, ensuring the question produces psychological salience for both truthful and deceptive individuals.

The phrase 'relevant to the issue under investigation' in question formulation means the question must:

Answer: Reference the specific act, time, and place central to the investigation

Relevant questions must be directly tied to the specific act, location, and time period of the investigation so responses can be unambiguously linked to the target behavior.

A polygraph question that uses a double negative, such as 'Did you not falsify any records?', should be avoided because:

Answer: The grammatical structure creates cognitive confusion, making the question unsuitable for reliable testing

Double-negative phrasing introduces ambiguity about whether a 'yes' or 'no' answer indicates admission or denial, making the question impossible to score accurately.

During a probable-lie comparison (PLC) question review, the examinee denies ever having lied. The examiner should:

Answer: Challenge the denial by pointing out that everyone has lied at some point, to maintain psychological salience

For probable-lie comparisons to function, the examinee must believe they are lying when answering 'no'; the examiner must address denials to preserve the question's psychological effectiveness.

A 'number test' used during a stimulation phase is BEST described as a type of:

Answer: Concealed information test using a sequence of numbers to demonstrate polygraph detection capability

In a number test, the examinee picks a number and lies about it while the examiner demonstrates detection, reinforcing belief in the instrument and establishing psychological set for the main examination.

When an investigation involves multiple crimes (e.g., theft and assault), best practice recommends:

Answer: Conducting separate focused examinations for each issue rather than a single multi-issue test

Separate focused examinations maintain diagnostic accuracy for each issue because mixing multiple independent crimes in one test dilutes physiological responses and complicates scoring.

An examiner formulates the question: 'Do you know for sure who threatened your supervisor?' This is an example of a:

Answer: Relevant question addressing knowledge rather than direct participation

Knowledge-based relevant questions are used when the examinee may not have committed the act personally but may possess concealed information about who did.