Introduction
Dawn Bennett-Alexander and Laura Hartman (2015) stated pre-employment testing begin in 1950, and since then has been considered necessary to the employment hiring process (p.161). Pre-employment testing usually takes place before hiring (although sometimes after hiring) to establish qualities such as integrity, honesty, drug and alcohol use, health status, and other characteristics (Bennett-Alexander et al, 2015, p.161). A popular pre-employment test is the polygraph test (lie detector) “a voice stress analyzer and psychological stress evaluator used to detect honesty or dishonesty by measuring three physiological indicators of arousal: rate and depth of respiration, cardiovascular activity, and perspiration (Bennett-Alexander …show more content…
The job of the polygraph test is to continuously monitor changes in cardiovascular, respiratory, and perspiration, regarding a decision of honesty/dishonesty, however, there is no evidence that any pattern of physiological reactions is unique to deception. The problem is nervousness, anger, sadness, embarrassment, and fear can all be causal factors in altering one's heart rate, blood pressure or respiration rate. An honest person could be nervous when answering truthfully and a dishonest person could be non-anxious about lying during questioning. George Maschke (2010), mentioned that individuals are told the practice test is used to prepare for what the real test will be like, but instead it is to make you believe the polygraph machine can detect lies (the numbers test or skim test) (The Truth about the Polygraph). Custom and Border Control (CBC) stated 65% of applicants fail the polygraph test, due to a hostile interrogation (polygraph) environment that spans over two days. The hostile environment alone is enough to trigger physiological indicators (Lie Detectors Trip Applicants at Border Agency, 2017). According to Maschke (2010), when a physiological indicator is triggered the true interrogation begins the interviewer will focus on that area, as though they do not believe you (The Truth …show more content…
If highly-qualified individuals like David Kirk (Marine helicopter pilot) are going to be judged by technology, on their level of honestly then it should be 100% accurate. With more than 1,000 positions open at the CBC, it would be accurate to say that the reliability of the polygraph low. According to Bennett-Alexander el at., (2015) regulations enacted by Congress, 33 states have statutes that either prohibit or restrict the use of polygraph examinations for use in employment decisions. It would be better if law enforcement and security agencies followed the same regulations enacted by Congress, or minimize the use of polygraphs. Federal agencies should consider extensive background checks (performed by the FBI) and personality test in place of the polygraph
Dawn Bennett-Alexander and Laura Hartman (2015) stated pre-employment testing begin in 1950, and since then has been considered necessary to the employment hiring process (p.161). Pre-employment testing usually takes place before hiring (although sometimes after hiring) to establish qualities such as integrity, honesty, drug and alcohol use, health status, and other characteristics (Bennett-Alexander et al, 2015, p.161). A popular pre-employment test is the polygraph test (lie detector) “a voice stress analyzer and psychological stress evaluator used to detect honesty or dishonesty by measuring three physiological indicators of arousal: rate and depth of respiration, cardiovascular activity, and perspiration (Bennett-Alexander …show more content…
The job of the polygraph test is to continuously monitor changes in cardiovascular, respiratory, and perspiration, regarding a decision of honesty/dishonesty, however, there is no evidence that any pattern of physiological reactions is unique to deception. The problem is nervousness, anger, sadness, embarrassment, and fear can all be causal factors in altering one's heart rate, blood pressure or respiration rate. An honest person could be nervous when answering truthfully and a dishonest person could be non-anxious about lying during questioning. George Maschke (2010), mentioned that individuals are told the practice test is used to prepare for what the real test will be like, but instead it is to make you believe the polygraph machine can detect lies (the numbers test or skim test) (The Truth about the Polygraph). Custom and Border Control (CBC) stated 65% of applicants fail the polygraph test, due to a hostile interrogation (polygraph) environment that spans over two days. The hostile environment alone is enough to trigger physiological indicators (Lie Detectors Trip Applicants at Border Agency, 2017). According to Maschke (2010), when a physiological indicator is triggered the true interrogation begins the interviewer will focus on that area, as though they do not believe you (The Truth …show more content…
If highly-qualified individuals like David Kirk (Marine helicopter pilot) are going to be judged by technology, on their level of honestly then it should be 100% accurate. With more than 1,000 positions open at the CBC, it would be accurate to say that the reliability of the polygraph low. According to Bennett-Alexander el at., (2015) regulations enacted by Congress, 33 states have statutes that either prohibit or restrict the use of polygraph examinations for use in employment decisions. It would be better if law enforcement and security agencies followed the same regulations enacted by Congress, or minimize the use of polygraphs. Federal agencies should consider extensive background checks (performed by the FBI) and personality test in place of the polygraph