What Is the CVOS?
The Calibration Verification of Sensitivity Test (CVOS) is a standardised testing procedure conducted as the first chart of a polygraph examination. It serves multiple preparatory functions before the diagnostic testing begins.
Purposes
The CVOS is designed to assess the examinee’s capability to process information and produce measurable physiological responses, detect potential psychological or chemical countermeasures before they can affect the diagnostic charts, permit the examiner to adjust instrument gain settings to match the individual examinee’s response range, verify that sufficient professional rapport has been established between the examiner and examinee, and reduce excessive anxiety that could interfere with the quality of subsequent test data.
How It Differs from Stimulation Tests
While the CVOS shares some purposes with other stimulation tests — such as familiarising the examinee with the testing process and setting instrument gains — it is more comprehensive in scope. It specifically includes a structured assessment of the examinee’s electrodermal, cardiovascular, and respiratory responsiveness, providing the examiner with baseline information about how this particular examinee’s physiology presents before any diagnostic questions are asked.