controlquestion

Controlquestion, sometimes written as control-question or controlquestion, is a term used across several disciplines to refer to a question that serves as a baseline, verification, or diagnostic tool within a larger process. The exact role of a control question depends on the context, but it generally aims to assess reliability, detect errors, or establish a reference point for comparison.

In polygraph and related lie-detection contexts, control questions are designed to provoke a measurable physiological response regardless of the specific issue under investigation. They are contrasted with relevant questions that target the matter being examined. The pattern of responses to control questions helps examiners distinguish between deceptive and non-deceptive replies, though the method remains controversial due to questions about reliability, bias, and ethics.

In digital security and identity verification, control questions appear as knowledge-based authentication prompts to recover accounts or prove identity. These questions rely on information the user is presumed to know but others may not, yet they can be weak if answers are easily guessable or publicly available. Some systems mitigate this by using multiple questions, dynamic prompts, or alternative verification methods such as tokens.

In survey research and data collection, control questions or attention checks are embedded to identify inattentive or dishonest respondents and to assess data validity. Examples include obvious or instruction-following items. While useful for data quality, they can affect respondent experience and are sometimes criticized for being transparent or intrusive.

Overall, control questions are a generic tool used to calibrate, verify, or filter responses, with applications in psychology, security, and research. Their effectiveness and ethical implications vary by domain and implementation.