The Bio-Kinetic Interview Technique was developed by James Allan Matte, President and founder of the Bio-Kinetic Interview Center, after considerable research into verbal and non-verbal behaviors which he catalogued, codified and applied to a psychologically structured interview procedure designed to develop both historical and attitudinal data from the interviewee, collectively exceeding the quantity and quality of information previously developed by the standard pre-employment or periodic polygraph test. This statement may seem strange originating from a leading expert polygraphist, therefore certain facts and comparisons are in order.
The polygraph instrument records basically three parameters, thoracic and abdominal breathing patterns, galvanic skin resistance (changes in sweat activity), and cardiovascular changes manifested on the polygraph chart by changes in heart rate and blood pressure. The polygraph instrument is not a lie-detector any more than a cardiograph is a bad-heart detector. It merely records the three aforementioned physiological parameters which reflect the instant and duration of any sympathetic and parasympathetic activity indicating the presence of stress. Use of the polygraph instrument necessarily limits the polygraphist ideally to no more than three relevant questions in Specific-Issue Tests and fifteen relevant questions in Pre-Employment and Periodic or Screening polygraph examinations. This limits the test to retrieval of historical data only. Furthermore to avoid psychological contamination of the polygraph charts, the polygraphist is prohibited from conducting any type of accusatory or interrogative approach during any portion of the pre-test interview, nor can he/she probe during the administration of the polygraph test. In contrast, the Bio-Kinetic interviewer with his trained mind (the most powerful computer), uses his eyes and ears (sophisticated visual and audio equipment) to observe more than 126 non-verbal behaviors and 50 verbal behaviors indicating the presence of stress, which he records with pen on paper. Furthermore, the Bio-Kinetic interviewer is not restricted in the manner or number of questions he may ask, which permits the interviewer to administer a psychologically structure interview comprised of both attitudinal and historical questions numbering more than one hundred and forty-six (146) in the Bio-Kinetic Pre-Employment interview and one hundred and fourteen (114) in the Bio-Kinetic Employee Evaluation. Although the Bio-Kinetic interview is a structured psychological interview, its successful administration requires an experienced and skilled interviewer-interrogator trained in the Bio-Kinetic Interview Technique and related procedures. As in a polygraph test, the seating and positioning of the interviewee in relation to the interviewer, in a room that offers a controlled environment, is critical. Significant behaviors by the interviewee are instantly noted on a special coded form (supported by video camera) immediately activating sophisticated probing techniques to resolve apparent problem areas and/or acquire concealed information. Interestingly, we have found that in Pre-Employment and Periodic polygraph tests, the leap from unresolved reactions to a conclusion of deception is far more difficult to make than in Specific-Issue Zone Comparison tests, therefore it was deemed an absolute necessity to resolved any reactions after the test through probing techniques which successfully resolved reactions in more than 99% of the time. The bottom line is that in 99% of the time, the employer is furnished all available data from the job applicant or employee. Since the Bio-Kinetic Interview is a probing procedure that uses a vastly greater number of stress indicators and a greater questioning scope under much lesser procedural restrictions, it is expected that the results will at least equal those of the parent polygraph test with far more useable data (attitudinal and historical) for the employer’s use in evaluating job applicants and employees.
It must be stressed that the Bio-Kinetic Interview Technique is not a Paper and Pencil Honesty Test where the applicant is merely given a booklet of multiple choice questions that he/she fills out in privacy. The Bio-Kinetic Pre-Employment Interview and the Bio-Kinetic Employee Evaluation, explained further in this brochure, require the active participation of an Expert Bio-Kinetic interviewer employing a psychologically structure interview format.
All questions contained in the Bio-Kinetic Pre-Employment Interview and the Bio-Kinetic Employee Evaluation have been reviewed by our attorneys to insure full compliance with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and New York State Division of Human Rights rulings.
The Bio-Kinetic Pre-Employment Interview
The Bio-Kinetic Pre-Employment Interview has two phases. In Phase I, the interviewee completes a background data form, and then through the use of headphones listens to a fifteen minute copyrighted motivational audio tape recording which explains the purpose of the interview and the basic anatomy of the Bio-Kinetic Interview Technique. It also psychologically prepares the interviewee for Phase II of the interview.
In Phase II, the background data form is reviewed by the interviewer with the interviewee for accuracy. The Bio-Kinetic interview than commences under the constant scrutiny of close-circuit television for the recording of verbal and non-verbal behaviors while the interviewee is asked a total of one hundred and forty-six (146) relevant questions covering topics such as Information on Job Application, Reason for Job Termination, Permanency, Military Service, Drugs and Alcohol, Undetected Crimes, Convictions, Employee Theft, Financial Status, and Driving Record. Some of the questions are designed to elicit attitudes on a particular subject while other questions elicit historical data from the interviewee, which together provide a superior predictor of the interviewee’s future behavior to the prospective employer. Unlike Paper and Pencil Honesty tests, the Bio-Kinetic Interview places the interviewee vis-à-vis a professional Bio-Kinetically trained interviewer who is a master in the science of verbal and no-verbal behavior analysis and the art of probing as one of several interview/interrogation techniques available to the Bio-Kinetic Interview Expert. The entire interview is conducted in a courteous and friendly atmosphere.
A comprehensive eight-page report is furnished to the prospective employer which contains background data pertaining to the job applicant/interviewee. It also contains his/her answers to the one hundred and forty-six interview questions, and admissions made by the interviewee during the course of the interview. The report is concluded with “NOTABLE AREA(S)” which lists those question/answers that merit the employer’s attention by the very nature of the interviewee’s answers, and “AREA(S) REQUIRING FURTHER INQUIRY” which lists those questions/answers which merit further inquiry-investigation because of consistent, unresolved verbal/non-verbal behaviors manifested by the interviewee.
The Bio-Kinetic Employee Evaluation
The Bio-Kinetic Employee Evaluation, as its name implies, is designed to evaluate current employees regarding their health, use of illegal drugs and/or alcohol on the job, job satisfaction, malfeasance, employee theft, and company driving record. This interview procedure has two phases. In Phase I, the interviewee completes a brief background data form, and then through the use of headphones listens to a fifteen minute copyrighted motivational audio tape recording which explains the purpose of the interview and the basic anatomy of the Bio-Kinetic Interview Technique. It also psychologically prepares the interviewee for Phase II of the interview.
In Phase II, the background data form is reviewed by the interviewer with the interviewee for accuracy. This Bio-Kinetic interview then commences under the constant scrutiny of close-circuit television for the recording of verbal and non-verbal behaviors while the interviewee is asked a total of one hundred and fourteen (114) relevant questions. Some of these questions are designed to elicit true attitudes regarding topics related to their jobs, while other questions elicit historical job-related data from the interviewee. Such a wide-scope interview is extremely useful in uncovering problem areas within the company, and is equally useful in the evaluation of an employee being considered for promotion or transfer to a more responsible position. The entire interview is conducted in a friendly and courteous atmosphere.
A comprehensive eight-page report is furnished to the employer which contains brief background data pertaining to the employee. It also contains his-her answers to the one hundred and fourteen interview questions, admissions made by the interviewee during the course of the interview. The report is concluded with “(NOTABLE AREA(S)” which lists those questions/answers that merit the employer’s attention by the very nature of the interviewee’s answers and “AREA(S) REQUIRING FURTHER INQUIRY” which lists those questions/answers which merit further inquiry-investigation because of consistent, unresolved verbal/non-verbal behaviors manifested by the interviewee.
The Bio-Kinetic Interrogation Technique
The Bio-Kinetic Interrogation Technique is designed for use in Specific-Issue cases normally associated with criminal acts such as homicide, robbery, assault, larceny, sabotage, rape and other sex offense, etc. The Bio-Kinetic Interrogation Technique may be used in conjunction with or in lieu of the Specific Polygraph Test. There are instances when administration of the Specific-Issue Polygraph Test is not permitted or feasible but an interview is allowed. All phases of the Bio-Kinetic Interrogation Technique are then employed. When a Polygraph examination is permitted, the latter phases may then be used in the post-test interview as dictated by the results of the polygraph test.
The Bio-Kinetic Interrogation Technique involves the use of the Scientific Content Analysis (SCAN) developed at the renowned Laboratory for Scientific Interrogation, Tel Avid, Israel, which allows the interviewer to perform scientific statement analysis to understand the suspect and determine whether the suspect is being truthful or withholding information. SCAN is used in conjunction with the Morgan Interview Theme Technique (MITT) developed by Dr. Raymond C. Morgan, Behavioral Scientist/Criminologist at the Idaho Assessment Center, which is based on the psychological principle of projection (Thematic Apperception Test or TAT), using a series of sketches within a structured psychological interview which is monitored by closed-circuit television. The suspect’s verbal and non-verbal behaviors are also noted and evaluated through the use of the Bio-Kinetic Interview Technique.
This interrogation technique ensemble enables the Bio-Kinetic interrogator to narrow a field of suspects in any type of crime to the party or parties most likely involved. This scientific technique ensemble comprises the most powerful interrogation system that assures a very high success rate in the acquisition of admissions and confessions.