Question Construction 08/18/23

Question 1

TQC

Answer 1

Test question construction

Question 2

Different Types of Questions

Answer 2

Will discuss the fundamentals of five types of PDD questions you will see in specific issue testing at NCCA:
Sacrifice Relevant Question
Relevant Questions
Primary and Secondary
Comparison Questions
Symptomatic Questions
Irrelevant Questions

Question 3

Relevant Question

Answer 3

A question asked during a PDD examination that pertains directly to the matter under investigation for which the examinee is being tested

Question 4

Types of Relevant Questions

Answer 4

Primary relevant questions
Secondary relevant questions

Question 5

Primary Relevant Questions

Answer 5

Addresses primary issue
Direct involvement (Did you…?)
Uses an action verb
In specific issue testing, one primary issue question per PDD exam
Generally requires a “No” answer (for suspect testing)
Specific issue Confirmatory Testing for victims, witnesses, and informants
Rare type of PDD test…why?
May use “Yes” answered relevant questions
Issue becomes examinee’s truthfulness

Question 6

Relevant Questions

Answer 6

Specific issue Confirmatory Testing for victims, witnesses, and informants
Rare type of PDD test…why?
May use “Yes” answered relevant questions
Issue becomes examinee’s truthfulness
Do not mix “yes” and “no” answered relevant questions during the same polygraph series
(No known research to support this rule; however, more cognition is needed to answer a question “No”)
Cognitive task of question recognition

Question 7

Primary Relevant Question
Example

Answer 7

Did you - direct involvement
steal - action verb
that car - primary issue

Question 8

Secondary Relevant Questions

Answer 8

Addresses secondary elements of the primary issue
Never addresses direct involvement

Question 9

Four areas from which secondary relevant questions are developed (if investigative case facts allow):

Answer 9

Secondary involvement (help, plan or participate)
Secondary element (see, hear, know)
Knowledge of the nature or location of evidence
Physical acts that support primary issue

Question 10

Secondary involvement: help, plan, or participate

Answer 10

Did you help anyone steal…?
Did you plan with anyone to steal…?
Did you participate in stealing…?

Question 11

Secondary element: see, hear or know

Answer 11

Did you see…?
Did anyone tell you that they…?
Do you know (for sure) who…?

Question 12

Knowledge of the nature or location of evidence:

Answer 12

Do you know the caliber of weapon used…?
Do you know what was used to stab…?
Do you know where any of those stolen weapons are now?

Question 13

Physical acts that support that support primary issue: tearing, cutting, or breaking

Answer 13

Did you cut the lock off of that safe?
Did you tear any of that woman’s clothing?
Did you throw a brick through that window?

Question 14

Secondary Relevant Questions points…

Answer 14

Must address secondary elements of the primary issue
Never addresses direct involvement
Never will be worded, “Did you (do the deed)?”

Question 15

There are many guidelines that exist, but two that NCCA/PLEA consider critical for proper test question formulation are:

Answer 15

Prioritizing issues/target selection
Proper relevant question construction

Prioritizing testable issues
Target selection procedures

Question 16

What is target selection/prioritizing issues?

Answer 16

A systemized method of determining which primary issue will undergo initial series PDD testing
What issue(s) will undergo subsequent series PDD testing

Question 17

Guidelines for Proper Target Selection

Answer 17

Determine issues (targets)/select most serious/intense target
Focus on act (action verb)
Focus on probable motive
Issue that connects suspect most closely to crime

Question 18

Determine most serious (strongest issue) target:

Answer 18

NCCA (DoD) will utilize Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ)
Table of Maximum Punishments
Amount of confinement
Example: Larceny and Rape

Question 19

Focus on the action required to commit the offense:

Answer 19

Use action verb that best describes what took place in order for the crime to be committed:
Did you shoot that man?
Did you hit that woman?

Question 20

Avoid…Perception or Intent

Answer 20

Did you purposely touch that woman’s buttocks?
Did you deliberately set fire to that house?
Did you intend to hurt that child?

Question 21

Dr. Stanley Abrams in U.S. vs Constance M. Walker, A98-0158-CR, U.S. District Court, Anchorage, AK, 24 Feb 1999:
Intent questions:

Answer 21

“…it’s a mind kind of thing versus a concrete act. Did you shoot John Smith? That’s easy…because that’s a concrete act…(but) intent questions…it all is a matter of what’s going on in their mind…”

Question 22

Focus on probable motive
In investigation with two polygraph issues having equivalent punishments, possible motive will generally be first issue tested

Answer 22

Example: Burglary and Felony Theft
Had to commit burglary for the theft

Question 23

Select issue that most closely connects examinee to crime

Answer 23

Multiple Issues
Multiple Suspects

Question 24

In specific issue testing, once appropriate target is selected:

Answer 24

One primary target per PDD series
Secondary issue(s) must be within the primary target area

Question 25

Relevant test questions:

Answer 25

Shall be clear and concise
Avoid legalistic/emotional evoking words
Present a clear dichotomy: “Yes” or “No”
Avoid accusatory sounding questions

Question 26

Clear and concise:

Answer 26

The meaning must be unmistakable
Developed in a manner consistent with the examinee’s intelligence level
Extra verbiage makes the question cumbersome, avoid!

Question 27

Properly constructed:

Answer 27

Did you steal any of that money?
Did you touch that woman’s vagina?

Question 28

Avoid emotional evoking terms:

Answer 28

Did you butcher that man?
Did you mutilate that woman?
Did you chop the head off of that child?
Did you blow that man’s head off?

Question 29

Avoid legalistic terms:

Answer 29

Did you rape that woman?
Did you murder that man?
Did you bribe that man?
Did you forge that check?

Question 30

Present a dichotomy:
Relevant questions must be answered

Answer 30

“Yes” or “No”
Do not mix “Yes” or “No” relevant questions in same polygraph series
The examinee’s position on the issue must be clear. This avoids physiological artifacts, making test data analysis easier.

Question 31

Should not be accusatory:

Answer 31

After you cashed that check, did you spend any of the money?
Did you use any of that cocaine you purchased from that man?
Did you tell John what you did with the gun after you shot the bank teller?

Question 32

In suspect testing, when testing for multiple items or amounts of money, always use phrase “any of”

Answer 32

Did you damage any of those computer parts?
Did you steal any of that money?

Question 33

Reported “amount” may be wrong

Answer 33

Honest error
Purposely inflated to cover up other criminal activity, e.g., insurance fraud
Suspect may have obtained only a portion of the stolen items or money

Question 34

Examples of properly worded questions in suspect testing:

Answer 34

Did you steal any of that money?
Did you cash any of those checks?
Did you burn any of those classified documents?

Question 35

Using any of phrase may not be appropriate in testing victims, witnesses, or informants
We may need to verify “all” items, or a specific amount:

Answer 35

Was $550 stolen from your room?
Did you purchase those three bags of marijuana from Smith?

Question 36

Relevant question “qualifiers”
Admission qualifiers:

Answer 36

Other than marijuana on that one occasion, did you ever…?

Question 37

Time limitation qualifiers:

Answer 37

Within 30 days prior to that urinalysis, did you use…?

Question 38

Sacrifice Relevant Question

Answer 38

Introduces primary relevant issue
Assists in absorbing Orienting Response
Question is not evaluated, it is “Sacrificial”
Standard format
Worded so examinee always answers “Yes“
Some testing formats utilize specific wording of sacrifice relevant questions (This instruction is the Federal method)
Regarding the theft of that vehicle, do you intend to answer each question truthfully?
Regarding whether or not you shot *that man, do you intend to answer each question truthfully?

Question 39

Probable Lie

Answer 39

A “probable lie” is the denial of a misdeed in which a person has more than likely engaged, or considered doing
Physiological response is compared to physiological response of relevant question
Probable Lie Comparison (PLCs) and Differential Salience (formerly “Psychological Set”)

Question 40

Differential Salience(Psychological Set)

Answer 40

This is based on the presumption that an examinee will focus their attention on the test question(s) that pose the greatest immediate threat (having greatest signal value) to their safety or well being
NDI examinees – comparison questions
DI examinees – relevant questions

Question 41

Comparison QuestionsProbable Lie

Answer 41

The theory behind a comparison question is never revealed to the examinee
The examinee must not be told there is a distinction between the relevant and the comparison questions
Two issues of “equal importance”

Question 42

Comparison Questions Construction Guidelines

Answer 42

Similar to relevant issue
Isolated by time, place, or category
Unfortunately, many examiners exclusively use time
In most cases, action verbs are the same as or similar in nature
Broad in scope and time
Admissions require test question modifications
Worded so examinee always answers “No”
Should address only one issue in each test question; should not be a compound question
Acceptable: Before… did you ever steal anything?
Unacceptable: Before… did you ever steal anything from a loved one or an employer?

Question 43

Isolated from relevant issue:

Answer 43

Time: Before the year 2020, did you ever steal anything?
Place: Before moving to _______, did you ever steal anything from an employer?
Category: Did you ever steal anything from a place you worked? (When would you not use this CQ?

Question 44

Category Comparison Questions
Extreme caution must be used when using category comparison questions

Answer 44

Sometimes what appears to be a category comparison may actually be relevant
Even senior examiners can utilize improper category CQs

Question 45

Comparison QuestionsExclusionary Phrases

Answer 45

Use a different exclusionary phrase for each CQ
Before this year…
Prior to the year 2020…
Before arriving at Fort Indiantown Gap…
Why do we do this?

Question 46

Action verbs:

Answer 46

In most cases, should be the same as or similar to the action verb used in the relevant question
Focused on the nature of the behavior that caused the relevant issue
Relevant Comparison
Steal Steal
Shoot Hurt/Harm/Injure
Arson Damage/Destroy

Question 47

Broad in scope and time:

Answer 47

Theoretically, the broader the comparison question, the stronger the signal value
Goal is to encompass as many life experiences as possible for the NDI examinee

Question 48

Comparison Questions Broad In Scope and Time

Answer 48

Acceptable (Maybe):
While in high school, did you ever steal anything from a loved one?
Better:
Before the year 2020, did you ever steal anything from an employer?
Best:
Prior to this year, did you ever steal anything?
Why is this Best?

Question 49

Admissions require test question modification

Answer 49

Admission qualifiers are placed before time or location entries in comparison question
Other than what you told me, before this year…
Why do you think this is?

Question 50

Comparison QuestionsAdmission Prefixes

Answer 50

Other than what you told me, before the year 2020, did you ever…?
Besides what we discussed, prior to this year, did you ever…?
Other than that one time, before arriving at Fort Indiantown Gap, did you ever…?

Question 51

Comparison QuestionAdmission Prefixes

Answer 51

Avoid using the same admission prefix for all comparison questions in a PDD examination
Other than what you told me…
Besides what we discussed…
Other than that one time…
Except for that one time…
Do not identify specific admissions in the comparison question(s);
Prevents inadvertent disclosure to unauthorized personnel.
Admissions made to a comparison question after an “operational chart” is collected…
Question number is modified by adding alpha suffix to comparison question, i.e., 6A
Modifying more than one comparison – add alpha suffix to each question, i.e., 4A, 6A, 9A
When one or more comparison questions are modified, review all test questions again

Question 52

Comparison Questions“No” Answers

Answer 52

Comparison questions are always worded so examinee answers “No”
Admissions require question modification so examinee will answer “ No”

Question 53

Symptomatic Questions

Answer 53

Symptomatic questions are designed to test for an outside issue of more significance to the examinee than the comparison and relevant issues.
Found in Zone Comparison Test formats only
SYM3 and SYM8
Not numerically evaluated - reviewed for significant responses in “No Opinion” exams

Question 54

Symptomatic Questions(Unique to the Zone Comparison Tests)
Examples

Answer 54

SYM3 - Do you believe I will only ask you the questions we reviewed? (Yes)
SYM8 - Is there something else you are afraid I will ask you a question about? (No)

Question 55

Symptomatic Questions

Answer 55

If significant response is observed at either Symptomatic Question in an Inconclusive (No Opinion) test, the outside issue must be resolved before conducting additional testing
Remind examinee that you will not ask questions that have not been reviewed
Reinforce that you did not ask any unreviewed questions on previous exam

Question 56

Irrelevant Questions

Answer 56

An irrelevant question is designed to introduce examinee to beginning of test questions and allow orienting response to habituate before scoreable question (relevant or comparison) is asked
Must be totally neutral
Worded so examinee answers “Yes”
Inserted for homeostasis purposes – as needed
Are you now in ________?
Is today ______?
Are the lights on in this room?
Are you now sitting down?
Do not use irrelevant questions that might be relevant, e.g., articles of clothing, alibi related, etc.
Do not use irrelevant questions that cause examinee to lie or presuppose a condition:
Is it still raining outside?
Do you think I am good looking?

Question 57

Zone Comparison Test

Answer 57

Irrelevant
2. Sacrifice Relevant
3. Symptomatic (Do you believe…)
4. Comparison
5. Primary Relevant
6. Comparison
7. Primary Relevant
8. Symptomatic (Is there something…
9. Comparison
10. Secondary Relevant