What is the true purpose of a pre-employment polygraph?

I know polygraphs measure heart rate, breathing,perspiration, etc but is the agency just trying to make you nervous and play mind games so you fess you up something voluntarily? Seriously can they really tell if you are lying?

A screening tool to filter out potential "problem" candidates?

Well if you want a job in a large corperation a polygraph is an excelent way to ensure only fully developed sociopaths apply as they are imune to "lie detectors"

They measure your bodies reaction to stress induced guilt when you lie - or somtimes when there is a very emotional subject -

If you happen not to feel guilt then you will pass and make an exclent addition to an already sociopathic corperation all those plauged by guilt of somthing that they did will be excluded

I am absolutely sure anyone over the age of 25 has done somthing that if they did feel guilt about would likely be excluded

A wonderfull idea - really and a good explaination as to most large busines behaviour in the past decade

It is possible to stump the lie detector, but you have to be trained in controlling your emotions heart rate and breathing. I cant do it.

I was given one for an emergency dispatch job. Thinking they really just wanted to see if I would tell the truth, I did. I had some drug issues senior year of hs and the year after, and a few illegal tricks friends and I did at work like short registers 5 bucks here and there during that time. They give you a huge questionaire to fill out before the test. The tester goes over your answers. The test questions are then pulled from the questionaire. Even though I told the truth, and was not involved in drugs or anything illegal for a few years, since I was only 20, and these things happened when I was 18.. I was discriminated against bc my illegal activity was in such recent history. I just looked at the hiring manager and I was like you cant tell me that no one in there has never tried a drug or stolen anything. Ofcourse they all have, but they were all 40 and it was 20 yrs ago for them.

So its really not about lieing, its about seeing your recent illegal behaviors. Even if you are telling the truth, if you feel guilt or nervous about the question or answer, it will register as a lie

most biz are trying to see if you are a layer or a thieve.

a good "BOX" man can tell if you are lying about 80% of the time in about 95% of the pleple . that is if you are not using one of the teckneaks to beat the"BOX"

Yes, they can. If you try to manipulate the exam, they can tell that, too.

AS A PAST POLYGRAPH OPERATOR, THE TEST MEASURES WHEN YOU LIE. THE POLYGRAPH OPERATOR GIVES YOU A LIST OF REQUISITIONS TO SEE HOW YOU DO--I ALWAYS ASKED A QUESTION THAT YOU NEVER ASK--BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO SHOW GUILT ABOUT IT--"HAVE YOU EVER STOLEN ANYTHING." THIS IS A LOADED QUESTION TO SEE HOW THE PERSON REACTS BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS STOLEN A NICKEL A CIGARETTE,ETC.
SO IF YOU DO NOT REGISTER A YES THEN I WILL ASK IT MORE POINTEDLY" HAVE YOU EVER LEFT WORK OR SCHOOL WITH SOMEONE ELSE'S PEN OR PENCIL"? IT IS MY JOB TO MAKE YOU LIE SO I KNOW YOU HAVE A CONSCIENCE. HAVE HAD TWO WHO BEAT THE QUESTIONS AND I COULD NOT TEST. CALM AS A CUCUMBER,BUT: HI EYES GAVE HIM AWAY.

THE TEST IS USUALLY DONE TO SEE IF YOU TELL THE TRUTH OR WILL TRY TO HOLD BACK. WHEN HOLDING BACK YOU WILL PANIC. A LIE THEN. I HAVE TO CHECK THE QUESTION ASKED AND MARK THE TABLE LINE GRAPH AT THAT SECTION.

IT CANNOT BE USED IN COURT BUT IT CAN WEED OUT POSSIBLE PROSPECTS THAT WE HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT. (AVG 99.5% ACCURATE RESULTS)

I do not know of any angencies using polygraph any more, most of use voice stress test and yes it can tell if you are lying. The idea behind the voice stress test is to weed out candidates that are not credible. We do not want liars in our police departments. The best thign is to be honest. Honesty shows good integrity and goes a long way. If you did something in your past that was not very serious it proabably wont be held against your for hiring purposes.