Tom Is Interested in Working for an Intelligence Branch of the Government

question 98

Multiple Choice

Tom is interested in working for an intelligence branch of the government, and a polygraph test is part of the interview process. Though Tom intends to be honest, he is worried that the polygraph will say he is lying when he isn't. Tom's friend Cameron assures Tom that polygraph tests are infallible. Is he right?

• A)Yes.Polygraphs pick up certain physiological responses associated with lying, and there's no way to change or hide those responses.
• B)Yes.Though much of the research has not been made public, many government agencies rely on polygraphs, and they would not do so if the tests were fallible.
• C)No.Anxiety may cause false positives and people can be coached to "beat" polygraphs.
• D)No.Polygraph machines are just props and the person watching for cues that the subject is lying, may make errors.
• E)The research on the fallibility of polygraphs is inconclusive.

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Definitions:

Central Executive

A component of working memory model responsible for directing attention and coordinating mental resources.

Phonological Loop

A component of working memory model that deals with auditory information and preserves it in a verbal form.

Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad

A component of the working memory model that processes and stores visual and spatial information, used for navigation and understanding spatial relationships.

Working Memory

A cognitive system responsible for temporarily holding information available for processing, important for reasoning and the guidance of decision-making and behavior.