One job candidate in Edmond last year had a job offer rescinded because a pre-employment polygraph exam indicated he may not be 100% truthful. He was understandably upset. He believed it was a rigged game and that all of the polygraph myths perpetuated in books and television were true. After speaking with a reputable polygraph examiner whom OKC clients rely upon, the majority of what he thought he knew was incorrect.
It is a misconception like that which often leads to misunderstanding. In truth, the polygraph is surrounded by more myths than nearly any other tool used for investigation. Such mistruths come from movie portrayals and gossip rather than facts. We will discuss a few of the most prevalent fallacies. These are contrasted with what’s real.
Myth: A Polygraph Reads Your Mind
Fact: Machines don’t read minds. The polygraph monitors your physical reactions: breathing, heart rate, and skin conductivity. All of these can change when the anxiety of telling a lie starts to rise. There’s a limit to what the machines can tell you. They can’t distinguish what’s in your head.
They record your physical reactions to an individual question. The examiner is trained to examine those reactions relative to your baseline response.
That’s kind of important when you realize that skilled interpretation plays a key role in the results.
Myth: Nervous People Always Fail
Fact: Normal nervousness and lies create different patterns. A skilled examiner can differentiate. This myth creates more undue anxiety than just about any other on this list. Our candidate in Edmond feared his sweaty hands were enough to fail the test.
However, there’s a pretest interview process to record what nervousness looks like for a particular person BEFORE any question affects the results. Baseline nerves are part of it. They are not confused with guilt.
Myth: You Can Easily Beat the Test With Online Tricks
Fact: Techniques such as deep breaths and biting your tongue that you can find on web pages often fail. They can even make the results more suspicious. That is how they can make the most of the results.
Such changes in breathing have an unusually clear pattern compared to others. That pattern will often be apparent and quite visible on the results chart. Physical actions timed with a particular question will also appear. Even a quick and obvious response to a question should make any attempt to control the results on any device very noticeable. It will be almost always obvious on any computer system. So, the results will often look more suspicious than normal.
Myth: Polygraph Results Are 100 Percent Accurate
Fact: Lie detection methods are not 100% accurate. Nor should any examiner you talk to try to convince you otherwise. Polygraphs, when properly administered, average 80% to 95% accuracy.
The range is what most polygraph professionals believe to be excellent for a tool based on human behavior. This technology is effective and definitely better than guessing. But it is not without its flaws.
Any polygraph examiner Tulsa clients use will explain its limitations rather than their exaggerated perceived abilities.
Myth: Failing a Polygraph Proves Guilt
Fact: One false positive is simply a single piece of evidence, not a jury’s verdict. There can be more to a reading than only guilt and innocence. Things such as prescription medication, illegal drugs, medical conditions, increased anxiety levels, and even how questions are asked can also alter the results of an examination.
In very serious cases, it’s one of the main reasons why polygraph tests are seldom the last bit of evidence. No police detective or attorney would use it as proof. It is usually just one step in a longer overall investigation.
Myth: Polygraph Testing Is Only Used for Criminal Cases
Fact: In truth, most polygraph appointments made in Oklahoma City and Tulsa have nothing to do with crimes at all.
Clients ask lie detector test examiners in Oklahoma City to conduct an exam for a variety of reasons. Relationships, workplace theft, family issues, business partner conflict, even simple suspicion. The list is quite broad and often includes everyday situations, such as the one the applicant experienced during a pre-employment screening exam. Headlines may report on crime-related lie detector tests. But they happen far less often.
Myth: The Examiner Decides Guilt or Innocence
Fact: The examiner takes this physiological data, scores it, and then states a conclusion. The examiner administering this test does not decide guilt or innocence on the part of the test-taker. Ethical examiners will often note this information very upfront.
In our job candidate’s situation, it was a pre-employment exam that triggered an “inconsistent” result, not a “dishonest” result.
A flagged result usually means a second test or interview. Had the employer asked the candidate what he meant by the flag in question instead of denying employment, then the situation could have been very different.
Myth: The Test Feels Like an Interrogation
Fact: An exam, when performed correctly, is more of a sit-down chat than the kind of police interrogation you watch on television.
No one yells. Nobody makes accusations. Examiners don’t jump any unexpected questions at test-takers mid-test. Examiners go over each question in a calm pre-interview before they count. The goal of examiners is pure data. A high-stress exam can skew the numbers.
Myth: Once You Fail, You’re Stuck With That Result Forever
Fact: Typically, one mistake or uncomfortable result doesn’t have to be the last. There is always the option of retaking. In a place where specific errors were likely to throw data off and skew results, this can potentially be compensated for in later trials.
If our candidate had known, perhaps he could have asked for a retest. For example, fatigue or the flu could have influenced one test. So, I could have had an exceptionally rough day. Ideally, a competent administrator considers these alternatives instead of taking the result as final.
Myth: Anyone Can Legally Administer a Polygraph Test
Fact: The skills and experience levels of individual examiners range widely. The credibility of your results depends strongly on who supervises the test. Because there is no state licensing for polygraph examiners in Oklahoma, the responsibility to screen properly lies entirely with the person who is going to employ them.
You’re looking for both the formalized training through a licensed school and the certification/continuing education through an established and respected professional organization, such as the APA. You are not going to get the same quality examiner from a weekend certificate as you get from someone who has actually worked for many years.
Myth: Polygraph Testing Is Outdated Technology
Fact: Today’s technology and scoring are quite a change from the analog machines of years past. The scientific data on the subject just continues to expand.
Digital sensors capture data far more precisely than the old mechanical contraptions ever could. Defined scoring helps minimize the need to interpret a chart. The science behind how deception triggers physiological change hasn’t really changed at all. It just has better tools for being detected.
Myth: A Single Awkward Answer Ruins the Whole Test
Fact: This one anomaly on a single question does not signify failure for an entire test. Examiners don’t examine just one chart at a time. They don’t just repeat a question one time. Also, they analyze the trends within and across multiple charts. They also analyze the repetition of particular questions.
Had our candidate understood this, the anxiety he displayed upon seeing this one question would not have been quite so overwhelming. There are several passes over the same group of questions, after all. The candidate might have simply been experiencing a single “itch”, a stray “thought”, or some random distraction with one chart. They simply look for agreement with multiple results.
Myth: Polygraph Tests Are Only for People Who Have Something to Hide
Fact: Many people take exams because they have nothing to hide. They want a formal paper record stating exactly this fact.
In this case, the person applying for a job utilizes the testing method to serve his purpose. So do employees under suspicion at work, as well as husbands and wives wanting to prove their word. The innocent are many times the greater beneficiaries because they have some proof to hold on to.
Myth: The Questions Trick You
Fact: Every question is discussed with you in-depth before you are officially tested. A fair examiner has a positive motivation, not a negative one, for a lack of ambiguity.
Trick questions work against accuracy. They don’t encourage accuracy. They encourage inaccurate information, which applies whether it comes from an honest or dishonest person. Thus, they fail the test. Examiners use clear and well-drafted questions because unambiguous questions yield accurate information.
Myth: Retaking a Test Always Looks Suspicious
Fact: Retesting is normal. A retest could be because the subject was ill the night before the test. It could also be because they didn’t get good sleep. They may have undergone an unusually stressful period with personal issues totally unrelated to the case. The equipment could also have malfunctioned during the first test.
Law enforcement agencies, insurance investigators, and attorneys who are regular users of this service all know a retest is merely another part of the verification process.
Myth: Attorneys Never Use Polygraph Results for Anything
Fact: As a rule, polygraphs are not admissible in court as substantive evidence. However, lawyers are likely using them much more informally in settlements than most people realize. It might influence negotiation strategies, plea bargains, and the question of whether to bring the case in the first place.
In custody disputes in Family Court, Judges may informally consider them for custody battles. How the examination affects the litigation isn’t always on record. But it frequently affects the disposition.
Myth: A Polygraph Test Takes All Day
Fact: Typically, most “full” appointments involve the interview, the testing session, and preliminary results. They will take no more than two to three hours to complete.
Some people envision a whole-day process due to how movies and television show employment physicals. Sometimes it takes a whole day to evaluate extremely complicated cases. For our job candidate, the physical and the exam completed for his pre-employment background screening may have been completed in under three hours.
Myth: Polygraph Examiners Work Off Intuition, Not Training
Fact: Trustworthy examiners do not speculate on lying. They have to work with scientifically grounded principles that have already been investigated through years of extensive research. There is a complete underestimation of the profession here. Trustworthy examiners receive extensive training and are instructed on the proper means of framing relevant questions. They also compare it to an appropriate comparative set. They undertake a great deal of numeric chart scoring before actually ever working with a client for a polygraph test.
Even if a trained examiner relies on intuition to a certain extent in their interactions with the client during the pre-test stage, the scoring method itself does not lend itself to intuition.
Myth: A Company Can Use Polygraph Results However They Want
Fact: The use of polygraph tests by private employers is governed by a federal law enacted as the Employee Polygraph Protection Act.
There are significant limitations around the use of polygraphs as a precondition to employment for nearly all private organizations. There are also some specific exceptions for certain industries or workplaces with active investigations currently underway.
So if a potential employer suggests that you take a test as part of their hiring process, you may want to familiarize yourself with whether their requests to do so are actually authorized by federal regulation and the law. Not every organization does so.
Myth: Declining the Test Means You Have Something To Hide
Fact: A refusal to take a test does not necessarily reflect an attempt to cover anything up. Most refusals are more about general anxiety about the process. They can also involve a basic fear of things that are not familiar.
That said, when such a refusal occurs in the context of a dispute, the meaning of it can obviously take on more significance. This is the case of a candidate we previously approved in a screening. One also needs to be sure to distinguish between an individual’s general attitude towards testing and a refusal specifically targeted at a particular accusation.
Why These Myths Matter More Than People Realize When Choosing a Polygraph Examiner OKC Provider
When it comes to polygraphs, misunderstandings are about more than just throwing people off. They can actually affect the most critical real-world decisions. In our case, the candidate very nearly threw away a promising opportunity because of a few myths about a process he never truly comprehended.
But the stakes of clearing the air are much higher than just helping out a job prospect. Clarifying misconceptions prior to taking an examination, or in response to the findings of one, alters how people feel and think.
Someone who understands that nerves are not the same as guilt enters their exam with less anxiety. The individual who learns that polygraph tests are not infallible is better equipped to contextualize an unfavorable result and move forward, rather than clinging to it as some absolute truth that crushes all hope. It’s a reality check for the tester as well.
A hiring manager who understands that a red flag on a pre-employment polygraph test indicates the need for more discussion, not necessarily the end of the line for a candidate, will make more just decisions. A family member who knows the jitters felt during a conversation are not proof of deception can approach with greater patience.
What This Means Before You Book a Lie Detector Test in Oklahoma City or a Lie Detector Test in Tulsa Provider
Some myths on this list might even be preventing you from booking, so it’s important to address them. Is there fear that the exam has a predetermined result, or even that you’re unsure of what a polygraph actually tests?
Whatever the concern is, speaking to a real, live examiner is always preferable to making your decision based on an unfounded theory. A qualified Polygraph Examiner OKC or Tulsa provider can go over every aspect of the test. They can answer all your questions transparently before asking for your commitment.
Spotting a Myth Dressed Up as Marketing
Again, some of these assumptions don’t always propagate accidentally. Examiners sometimes exploit them either to bolster their reputation or to push a skeptical client to purchase a service before they’re entirely ready.
Look out for any language to the effect that the results will be 100% accurate. Also, look out for any mention of flawless prediction accuracy. Also, be suspicious of any claim that tests have an uncanny ability to catch cheaters, regardless of any effort exerted. None of these representations are compatible with genuine research on deception detection. Honest examiners discuss probability and training, not certainty and mysticism.
Another red flag to monitor, related in a sense to those listed above, involves the examiner’s unwillingness to articulate the scoring process. If someone is unable or unwilling to give a straightforward and comprehensive explanation for how they arrived at a verdict, lack of transparency, on its face, appears to be a reason for concern.
Our job applicant provides us with a lesson in this regard. If the workplace offering his pre-employment exam had truthfully set expectations about the examination procedure from the beginning, he would have more than likely gone into it with less anxiety.
Filling the unknown with workplace theories and assumptions only exacerbates a less-than-optimal outcome. Transparency prior to any test helps to avert similar situations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do polygraph results ever get thrown out entirely?
Yeah, they can be if the test was conducted incorrectly or had faulty phrasing. A medical condition influencing the outcome could potentially void it.
Is it a myth that certain medications affect results?
No, the fact is quite real. That’s another reason it’s recommended to let the examiner know what you’re on before you take the test.
Can I request to see my actual chart data, not just the conclusion?
Good examiners will usually give you an explanation of why your chart came out the way that it did. They will walk you through it in detail, instead of merely giving a one-word answer.
Is there truth to the idea that some people are simply unreadable?
Rare medical or psychological conditions can sometimes result in complex readings. This is relevant for a tiny fraction of the population. It does not necessarily apply to the average person who walks into a testing center.
Do polygraph examiners get it wrong on purpose sometimes?
No. Certified examiners have absolutely no reason to provide inaccurate results. Attempting to manipulate them would be an unethical act and could ruin an examiner’s entire reputation.
Is it a myth that polygraph testing is only for adults?
The use of a polygraph with minors can be accompanied by ethical and legal issues. For a minority of examiners, this means they may require a parent’s presence. They may also refuse to test a minor except under unusual circumstances.
Setting the Record Straight With a Polygraph Examiner Tulsa or OKC Trusts
Myths stick because it’s much simpler to recall a tidbit of bad info. It is harder to grapple with the particulars of polygraph testing on a practical level. Being nervous does not equal lying. It is not an interrogation.
If it’s bad data that has shaped your understanding of polygraph testing, sometimes a discussion will correct misinformation. A certified Polygraph Examiner OKC residents trust will guide you honestly through this kind of process.
