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Class Study 08/15/23 > Question Construction 08/18/23 > Flashcards

Question Construction 08/18/23 Flashcards

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1
Q

TQC

A

Test question construction

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2
Q

Different Types of Questions

A

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

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3
Q

Relevant Question

A

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

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4
Q

Types of Relevant Questions

A

Primary relevant questions
Secondary relevant questions

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5
Q

Primary Relevant Questions

A

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

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6
Q

Relevant Questions

A

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

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7
Q

Primary Relevant Question
Example

A

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

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8
Q

Secondary Relevant Questions

A

Addresses secondary elements of the primary issue
Never addresses direct involvement

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9
Q

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

A

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

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10
Q

Secondary involvement: help, plan, or participate

A

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

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11
Q

Secondary element: see, hear or know

A

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

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12
Q

Knowledge of the nature or location of evidence:

A

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?

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13
Q

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

A

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?

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14
Q

Secondary Relevant Questions points…

A

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

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15
Q

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

A

Prioritizing issues/target selection
Proper relevant question construction

Prioritizing testable issues
Target selection procedures

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16
Q

What is target selection/prioritizing issues?

A

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

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17
Q

Guidelines for Proper Target Selection

A

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

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18
Q

Determine most serious (strongest issue) target:

A

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

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19
Q

Focus on the action required to commit the offense:

A

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?

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20
Q

Avoid…Perception or Intent

A

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

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21
Q

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

A

“…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…”

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22
Q

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

A

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

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23
Q

Select issue that most closely connects examinee to crime

A

Multiple Issues
Multiple Suspects

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24
Q

In specific issue testing, once appropriate target is selected:

Study These Flashcards
A

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

25
Relevant test questions:
Shall be clear and concise Avoid legalistic/emotional evoking words Present a clear dichotomy: “Yes” or “No” Avoid accusatory sounding questions
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Clear and concise:
The meaning must be unmistakable Developed in a manner consistent with the examinee's intelligence level Extra verbiage makes the question cumbersome, avoid!
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Properly constructed:
Did you steal any of that money? Did you touch that woman's vagina?
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Avoid emotional evoking terms:
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?
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Avoid legalistic terms:
Did you rape that woman? Did you murder that man? Did you bribe that man? Did you forge that check?
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Present a dichotomy: Relevant questions must be answered
"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.
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Should not be accusatory:
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?
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In suspect testing, when testing for multiple items or amounts of money, always use phrase “any of”
Did you damage any of those computer parts? Did you steal any of that money?
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Reported "amount" may be wrong
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
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Examples of properly worded questions in suspect testing:
Did you steal any of that money? Did you cash any of those checks? Did you burn any of those classified documents?
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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:
Was $550 stolen from your room? Did you purchase those three bags of marijuana from Smith?
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Relevant question “qualifiers” Admission qualifiers:
Other than marijuana on that one occasion, did you ever…?
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Time limitation qualifiers:
Within 30 days prior to that urinalysis, did you use…?
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Sacrifice Relevant Question
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?
39
Probable Lie
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”)
40
Differential Salience (Psychological Set)
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
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Comparison Questions Probable Lie
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”
42
Comparison Questions Construction Guidelines
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?
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Isolated from relevant issue:
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?
44
Category Comparison Questions Extreme caution must be used when using category comparison questions
Sometimes what appears to be a category comparison may actually be relevant Even senior examiners can utilize improper category CQs
45
Comparison Questions Exclusionary Phrases
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?
46
Action verbs:
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
47
Broad in scope and time:
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
48
Comparison Questions Broad In Scope and Time
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?
49
Admissions require test question modification
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?
50
Comparison Questions Admission Prefixes
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...?
51
Comparison Question Admission Prefixes
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
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Comparison Questions “No” Answers
Comparison questions are always worded so examinee answers “No” Admissions require question modification so examinee will answer “ No”
53
Symptomatic Questions
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
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Symptomatic Questions (Unique to the Zone Comparison Tests) Examples
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)
55
Symptomatic Questions
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
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Irrelevant Questions
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?
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Zone Comparison Test
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
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Class Study 08/15/23 (18 decks)

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