CIA-RDP96-00787R000200090011-1

Approved For Release 2003/09/09 : CIA-RDP96-00787R000200090011-1
CONFIDENTIAL
2 9 MAR 1976
DD/S&T-1381-76
MEMORANDUM FOR:
Associate Deputy Director for Administration
FROM:
Associate Deputy Director for Science and
Technology
SUBJECT:
Parapsychology Research
REFERENCE :
Memorandum from A/DDA to ADD/SET dated
23 February 1976, Subject :
SRI Report
on Perceptual Augmentation
1. Because you have expressed an interest, as &
Directorate, in the subject of parapsychology, I would like
to outline our current research plans in this area.
2. As you may know, we elected not to continue the SRI
research project because of its substantial cost and because
of the generally negative findings in the physiological por-
tion of the research. For example, a promising earlier cor-
relation between brain wave patterns and the on-off status
ef a hidden light inside a screen room was not substantiated
by the most recent study. The operationally oriented portion
of the SRI work did yield some very interesting findings.
Unfortunately, these were open to question because of pro-
cedural shortcomings, such as the lack of controls, lack of
predetermined criteria for "hits," failure to follow accepted
double blind methodology, and the involvement of experimental
team members themselves as subjects.
3. We do agree that the field requires close observation,
however, until we can identify promising and potentially use-
ful research alternatives.
We have programmed a significant
survey project for FY-77 and a follow-on for FY-78. The
FY-77 work will include an in-depth review of the recent
literature, together with visits to laboratories doing sig-
nificant research in the field. The contractor will be a
reputable scientist who holds neither a position of flat
rejection nor an outright espousal of paranormal phenomena
Approved For Release 2003/09/09 : CIA-RDP96-00787R000200090011-1
SG1
B

Approved For Release 2003/09/09 : CIA-RDP96-00787R000200090011-1
CONFIDENTIAL
SUBJECT: Parapsychology Research
generally. At the same time we will attempt to determine
internal criteria as to what types and levels of paranormal
performance would be considered important to the Agency if
they could be demonstrated.
SG11
Distribution:
Original - Addressee
1 - D/OTS
1 - ADD/S&T
1 - D/ORD
1 - LSR/ORD
2 - DD/S&T Registry
1 - ORD Registry
SG11
LSR/ORD/DD/S&T:
nrp : 2901 - 16 March 1976
Approved For Release 2003/09/09 : CIA-RDP96-00787R000200090011-1