Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 4: Before the test
• Part 2 of 4: Pass a lie detector test in a normal way
• Part 3 of 4: Manipulating the polygraph
• Part 4 of 4: After the lie detector test
• Tips
• Warnings

The infamous polygraph test - also known as the lie detector test - is often met with fear, even by people who are completely innocent and perfectly capable of passing without cheating or manipulating the results. If you need advice on how to pass a polygraph test, you have found the right article.

To step

Part 1 of 4: Before the test

1. Understand how a polygraph works. A polygraph cannot detect a lie on its own, but it can record physiological changes in your body, such as your blood pressure, pulse, breathing, and sweating. This allows it to detect physiological things related to lying.
   • Once you have arrived for the appointment, the material and the working method will be viewed. It's not a bad idea to familiarize yourself with the basics, but avoid the horror stories about polygraphs on the internet as they will only make you more nervous than is good for you.
2. Try not to think about the test beforehand. If you worry too long before taking the test, you run the risk that the results will be to your disadvantage by looking for ways to judge yourself unnecessarily.
   • In order not to worry too much, it is better not to ask for information from someone who has already undergone such a test. Also, before the test, try not to expose your own soul and try not to anticipate the questions that will be asked.
   • Try to avoid negative websites about polygraphs, as they mainly deal with popular conspiracy theories and can cause unnecessary panic as a result.
3. Take care of your body the day and night before the test. You are supposed to feel comfortable during the test so that you show the correct physiological responses. In order to be comfortable, you need to make sure that you are well rested and that you feel as physically fit as possible.
   • Follow your normal routine as closely as possible. Even if your routine involves activities that affect your heart rate, such as drinking coffee with caffeine or going for a jog in the morning, you should stick to this routine because your body is trained to respond to these physiological conditions.
   • Try to sleep for seven to eight hours the night before the test.
   • Make sure you are not hungry and that you are wearing comfortable, loose clothes.
4. Fill in all necessary forms. Depending on the reason for the lie detector test, it may be necessary to fill out certain forms in which you give your consent. Take your time with these forms. Read them carefully and only sign when you are ready.
5. Notify the interviewer about any medical conditions or medications you are taking. If you are currently ill, the interviewer will likely want to delay the test. Certain medications, such as medications for high blood pressure, can affect the results, so the interviewer should be aware of them as well.
   • Illness can make you feel uncomfortable, which will affect the results.
   • If you are taking prescription medication, you must continue to do so before the test.
   • Contrary to popular belief, most antidepressants cannot make you "beat" a polygraph. If applicable, you should inform the interviewer about these medications as they can produce abnormal results.
6. Review the questions and take the time to understand them. The interrogator is obliged to inform you of the questions in advance. Take as much time as you feel is necessary and feel free to ask the interviewer for an explanation if you are unsure or if certain questions seem confusing.
   • You must ask for an explanation of the questions before taking the test. In most cases you will not be allowed to do this during the test. In fact, your answers during the lie detector test itself will be limited to "yes" or "no", so talking about the questions should only be done before the start of the test.
7. Find out which test will be used. The standard lie detector test is the CQT, or "Control Question Test." In some cases, however, a Directed Lie Test (DLT) or a Guilty Knowledge Test (GKT) may be administered instead.
   • In a CQT polygraph, control questions will be mixed with relevant questions. A control question is one that almost everyone should answer "yes" to, although some people may have a tendency to answer "no". Such questions include "Have you ever lied to your parents?" Or "Have you ever stolen or borrowed anything without permission?".
   • In a DLT, the interviewer will ask you several questions and explicitly ask you to lie. This allows the interviewer to evaluate your physiological responses when you lie to questions when the examiner knows you will lie.
   • In a GKT you will be asked multiple choice questions about all kinds of facts that only you and the interrogator will know. Many of these questions will be about the matter. Your answers will be compared to your physiological responses.

Part 2 of 4: Pass a lie detector test in a normal way

1. Let yourself be nervous. Today, no one is expected to remain completely calm during a lie detector test, even if the person in question is completely innocent and has nothing to hide. By allowing yourself to be nervous, you can provide the interviewer with an accurate representation of your physiological statistics when you are telling the truth and when you are lying.
   • The lines on the screen of the polygraph will never be flat, even when you are telling the truth.
   • Oddly enough, only the person who is nervous about each answer will emerge best from a lie detector test.
2. Speak the truth. If you have nothing to hide then you have to tell the truth to every question. This includes control questions about which many people are supposed to lie. The more times you tell the truth, the more accurate the results will be. This is okay, as long as you are innocent.
   • While people often think it will contain certain questions designed to fool them and provoke a guilty answer, current ethics around lie detector tests require the questions to be clear and straightforward.
   • Listen carefully to the full question and give a precise answer. Do not listen to just half of the question and do not answer what you "think" that was asked instead of what was "really" asked.
3. Take your time. You may ask the interviewer to repeat a question two to six times, depending on the person you are interviewing. Before the test, make sure you know how often you can have a question repeated. Don't rush through the questions, because haste and urgency can affect the results to your disadvantage.
   • This test usually takes five to 10 minutes, but it may take longer depending on how often you repeat a question and the specific reason for the test.

Part 3 of 4: Manipulating the polygraph

1. Try to be stressed when answering control questions. If you think it is necessary to cheat or manipulate the test, it is usually recommended that you put physical or mental stress on yourself when answering a control question. This will give you a higher reference point, so when you tell lies related to the case or situation, the peaks in your responses may be smaller than the peak you created during the control question.
   • When you recognize an obvious control question, think about a frightening or arousing thought.
   • You can also increase your perspiration and increase your heart rate by trying to solve a difficult math problem in your mind. Try dividing 563 by 42 or something similar.
2. Relax when answering relevant questions. When asked a question related to the case or situation, try to answer it as calmly as possible. By staying as calm as possible you can avoid large spikes in your physiological responses.
   • In essence, a "lie" only counts if that lie elicited a greater physiological response than it did if you "knowingly told lies" to the control questions. As long as your physiological response to a question and your answer elicits a less conspicuous response than the responses you had while answering the control questions, the lie may not count.
   • Control your breathing and remember that a polygraph is not flawless and you can control your physiological responses yourself.
   • Try daydreaming about something calming, like snuggling under a warm sheet with a cup of hot chocolate on a cold night, or taking a relaxing bath.
3. Avoid tricks that are easy to discover. If the interrogator catches you cheating, the test may be delayed or countermeasures taken so that you can no longer manipulate. In addition, attempts to manipulate the test can cause the interrogator or the judge to judge your results more rigorously.
   • For example, do not put a thumb nail in your shoe so that you can press your foot on it during control questions. Often times, an interviewer will require you to take off your shoes before the test to avoid such tricks.
   • Although physical pain will in fact cause a spike, it is usually much easier to notice than psychological stress. Biting your tongue, stretching a muscle, or similar tricks can easily be spotted by an experienced interrogator.

Part 4 of 4: After the lie detector test

1. After the test, talk to the assessor. After you take a lie detector test, an assessor will review your results and determine if you need further questioning or if there are any issues that need to be clarified.
   • The rater will probably only ask for your answers if the results are unclear or if he or she thinks you are lying.
   • In evaluating your results, the assessor and interviewer will also consider your emotional state, your medical and physical condition, and the factual details of the case or circumstances that warrant a test.
2. Wait for the official results and for further instructions. Your results must be professionally and officially analyzed before they can be judged. If they think you are lying or that the results are inconclusive, you may be asked to take a new lie detector test.
   • In the US, at the request of the interviewee, the interviewer must make the official results of the test public, so if you don't automatically receive the results after a week or two, you can contact the interviewer with a request to receive them.

Tips

• Plan your time correctly. It usually takes anywhere from 90 minutes to 3 hours to go through the testing procedures and the lie detector test from start to finish.

Warnings

• Avoid manipulation. If you are innocent and have nothing to hide, then you have the best chance of being honest and telling the truth to all questions during the test.
• Decide if you are not allowed to take the test. Do not take the test if you:
  • Is forced to do so
  • Have a serious heart condition
  • Was declared mentally incapacitated
  • Are pregnant
  • Have breathing problems
  • Have ever had nerve damage, a stroke, or been paralyzed
  • Have pain
  • Suffer from epilepsy