The differences between counterintelligence, lifestyle, and full scope polygraphs (2024)

FAQs

The differences between counterintelligence, lifestyle, and full scope polygraphs? ›

The counterintelligence polygraph focuses on whether you pose a threat to turning into an agent of a foreign power, whereas, a lifestyle polygraph focuses more on your decision making process and whether any of your decisions could subject you to blackmail in the future.

The CI polygraph asks questions limited to the subjects allegiance to the United States. The Lifestyle polygraph asks more personal questions designed to solicit information about your conduct and present and past behavior. A Full Scope polygraph combines the CI and Lifestyle polygraphs.

lifesTyle: Deals more with the personal questions you answered on your SF-86, such as illegal activity, drug use, or falsification of the security clearance forms. A full-scope polygraph combines the questions of the CI and lifestyle polygraph. you're not going to be asked deeply personal, subjective questions.

Full Scope Polygraph (FSP Clearance) certification is a security clearance granted after a comprehensive polygraph examination. It verifies an individual's honesty and reliability to handle sensitive information. Professionals with this cer...

Counterintelligence Scope Polygraph (CI)

The most common type of polygraph exam. A Counterintelligence Scope Polygraph asks the candidate questions limited to those necessary to determine whether the examinee ever had any involvement with or knowledge of: Espionage. Sabotage. Terrorist Activities.

Issues Examined During a Polygraph Examination

Lifestyle Polygraph examinations focus more on areas of sexual conduct (e.g., p*rnography), alcohol/drug use, illegal conduct, mental health, family relationships, dishonest conduct, and compulsive and/or addictive behaviors.

A Full Scope Polygraph is a combination of both the Counterintelligence and Lifestyle polygraphs.

How long will the test take? The average test length falls between 2–4 hours.

A counterintelligence-scope polygraph will not include any questions about drug use. However, a so-called “full-scope” or “lifestyle” polygraph will include questions about drug use and undetected major crimes at any point during your life.

Polygraph tests require a significant cash investment, but prices can vary substantially based on multiple factors. To recap: Expect to spend $300-$500 for basic screening exams, and up to $1000 or more for comprehensive full-scope tests.

What are the two types of counterintelligence? ›

Counterintelligence activities can be categorized as being either collective, defensive or offensive. Collective CI efforts focus on learning who the adversary is, how they collect information, what attack vectors they are targeting and what tools they are using.

Security services are necessary to monitor known or suspected terrorists and provide the controls to restrict their activities. Counter-intelligence agencies can infiltrate terrorist groups to destabilize and subvert them. Both are complementary forces but perform different operations.

Further to this, the federal law enforcement agencies that conduct polygraph screening (e.g., FBI, DEA, CBP) utilize a “full scope” or “lifestyle” format.

Conventional machines use moving paper feeders and styluses that record the simultaneous input from the three physiological responses. Computerized polygraphs generate chart analyses from the data and display the results on a computer screen.

This type of examination is different than a Lifestyle Polygraph examination which covers more personal issues. Issues that are often times examined in more detail during CI Polygraph examinations. They include questions focused on espionage and on improper disclosures of classified documents.

2. There are three types of polygraph examinations which may be used as a component of personnel security vetting programs: Counterintelligence (Cl) Scope Polygraph (CSP) examinations, Expanded Scope Polygraph (ESP) examinations, and Specific Issue Polygraph (SIP) examinations.

The average test length falls between 2–4 hours. How can I be successful on my polygraph examination? Speak candidly about your life experiences, ask questions and follow your examiner's instructions.