CIA-RDP96-00787R000700110015-9

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CONFIDENTIAL
15 January 1974
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT
:
Special Management Guidelines for the
SRI Paranormal Project
1. Both the nature of research in the paranormal field and the
intense interest it excites within our organization and in the public at large,
together with the highly competitive and complexly motivated character of other
research efforts in this field, make it essential that we formulate and adhere
to certain special guidelines for the administration of any new efforts. The
real intent and purposes of such guidelines would be to:
a. simplify the contractor's task by eliminating all unnecessary
confusion and distractions;
b. tighten the responsibility and control functions within the
sponsor's organization;
c. serve both the contractor's and the sponsor's interests by
increasing project security; and
d. permit us to arrive at sound and well-documented, however
modest, conclusions by focusing on limited, consistent and
explicit objectives.
The guidelines listed below need not be considered definitive; to the extent that
modifications seem essential from a practical point of view or that additional
guidelines would serve the above purposes, contractor and sponsor personnel should
agree on emendations.
2. Data Control. The complex nature of the funding and phasing of
SRI's past paranormal investigations makes it virtually impossible to establish,
now, which data were developed under whose auspices. Other than portions which
clearly relate to sponsor tasking and direct or indirect sponsor validation, no
attempt will be made to control use of that data -- most of which has already
become public knowledge in one form or other. But it will be understood that,
from the start of the new (January 1974) contract effort, all data developed will
fall under the sponsor's purview and none of it will be released in any form to
other than authorized sponsor personnel without prior sponsor approval. On its
part, the sponsor undertakes to be as expeditious and liberal as circumstances
permit in approving the release of non-sensitive data for open publication.
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3. Authorized Personnel. As far as the sponsor's organization is
concerned, 'authorized' personnel will be understood to mean: in the first
instance, the primary project officer,
or his immediate_superiors
and Mr McMahon) ;
and, in
absence or
with respect to purely 'basic' research matters, his alternate project officer,
or his immediate superiore
and Dr Stevens). As
far as the contractor's organization is concerned, 'authorized' personnel will
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CONFIDENTIAL
Guidelines for SRI Project
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be understood to mean: only those (to be listed by name and function) immediately
involved in the research effort, the essential chain-of-command superiors and such
other SRI specialists as may be required in conducting the research.
Individuals
other than 'authorized' personnel, whether from the sponsor's or other govern-
mental or non-governmental organizations, will not be given access to project data
without prior sponsor approval. Such approval will be limited to individuals
essential to the conduct of the research. It is likely that, because of prior
associations and publicity, the contractor will receive queries about the status
of research and we appreciate the awkwardness this might create; whenever possible
it is suggested that the contractor take the position that, largely on its own
resources, the masses of data already collected are being studied and the results
may, if appropriate, be published at a later time; the contractor should avoid
more explicit comments unless there is proor coordination with the sponsor.
4. Release of Data to Sponsor Personnel. The requirements for progres
and financial reports are specified in the contract and they will be released only
to 'authorized' sponsor personnel. In the same sense, visits to the paranormal
research laboratory should be limited to authorized sponsor personnel. The sponso
will attempt to curtail inqueries and requests for site visits by its personnel
and it is suggested that, should it become necessary, the contractor handle such
requests by stating that it now operating under restrictive groundrules and urging
the individual to contact the project officer or his alternate.
5. Acceptance of Guidance from Sponsor Personnel. Similarly, to
avoid confusion or disruption of the contractor's efforts, tasking and guidance
will be accepted only from authorized personnel; unsolicited views may be referred
to the project officer or his alternate. It may be that, later, the contractor
and the sponsor will wish to brief sponsor personnel and solicit their views and
suggestions; but, if so, it should be undertaken in a well-controlled, methodical
manner and for quite specific purposes related to the research design and
objectives.
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6. Other Sponsorship. The sponsor assumes that the scope and terms
of the contract are such that SRI's paranormal investigative resources will be
fully absorbed by the effort but, since the sponsor's support cannot be alluded
to by SRI, that will not preclude offers of sponsorship by others -- including the
government. It is suggested that, in response to official or unofficial offers,
SRI initially state that it is consolidating and studying previously collected
data and doesn't wish to undertake new investigations until this analysis is
completed. If this response doesn't have the desired result, SRI should inform
authorized sponsor personnel before making any commitments or disclosures.
SRI
and sponsor personnel will then agree on the most effective means of handling
the situation.
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PARANORMAL INVESTIGATIONS: OUTLINE OF 'BASIC' RESEARCH TASKS
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FOUR
This outline is divided into three sections: one for each of the
three specified areas of basic research and a final section devoted to
general comments and suggestions relating to the overall research design.
It is suggested that the extensive batteries of standard tests listed
below be given only to those gifted subjects used in developing the
'applied' research data and to an appropriate number of controls.
PART I: Identification of Measurable Characteristics Possessed by Gifted
Subjects (approximately 20% of the total project effort)
Sensory Evaluation
(in both INTENSITY & FREQUENCY)
A = IMPLEMENT
Auditory ;- Simple tones, check extremes of spectrum -- going as far
.
beyond thresholds as instrumentation permits
B - As much fancy audiometry as facilities permit - as aideated by clay
B = CONSIDER
4 - Include if possible measures relating, to implicit speech)
- Under Part II = Subliminal excelgation
Visual
A - Check acuity, defining the extreme limits
B - Visual fields by instrument with several types of
targets and varying dimness-intensity-color factors
17 : Pseudoisochromatic plates
Color discrimination with monochrometers or yarn test
A - Explore vision beyond visible range, beyond visual threshold (the
A - Flicker-Fusion test
B
number of PHOTONS)
Tactile
- Two-point discrimination
under the
AL
- Vibratory
Heat and Cold discrimination
medical ly am
B - (Synesthesia test?) - Stereognous?
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Psychological Evaluation
(or MMPD)
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A - Omnibus Personality Inventory (OPI)
A - Projective tests -- TAT and/ or Rorschach
A - WAIS/PAS test (by
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A - Luscher Color test
B - Strong and/or Allport-Vernon -- aptitude/values
3 - Reaction time tests -- latency
- Raven's Matrix -- abstractions
H 1 - Embedded Figures tests -- illusions
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- Memory tests, including eidetic imagery is possible
B & - Suggestibility tests (Ernest Hilgarde, Stanford)
F - Field Dependency tests (Witkin)
8 - If facilities permit, tests relating to 'information
processing' rates and modes
In-Depth Interview
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-
This item is listed separately but will. obviously be
closely tied to both the psychological evaluation (above)
and the medical ovluation (below). We visualise the
possibility of separate but related interviews by medical,
psychesicie and psychological personnel; but this needn't
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handled by one pers
who is
qualif. . d and interested enough to cover all of the
facets in appropriate depth.
These facets should
include, for instance: complete medical history, with
particular focus on childhood or later diseases which
might relate to the 'giftedness'; family medical history;
curriculum vitae; objective events and subjective views
relating to the discovery and enhancement of the subject's
paranormal capacities; other special skills or interests;
socio-economic, cultural, familial environment; outstanding/
'peaks', experiences, traumas; religious content of the
subject's life; other paranormal or related experiences
(e.g., deja vue) on which the subject has not been tested;
and such psychiatric and psychological interview techniques
as may shed further light on the subject's personality,
values, motivation, metal state and interpersonal style.
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Medical Evaluation
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- Medical history (as above)
- General phsyical examination (normal lab work as well)
- EEG
Include tactile heat
- Neurological examination, Dynamometer
-
cold, vibratory
Opthomological exam (see Sensory Evaluation)
- ENT exam ( see Sensory Evaluation)
- Such other examinations as may be suggested by the above
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.Behavioral Evaluation
Interviews (as above)
A - Time estimates
A - Recognition tests (tachistoscope)
- If feasible, certain sponsor-provided tapes and films
designed to test observation, recall and assessment
skills
PART II: Identification of Neurophysiological Correlates (approximately 20%
of the total project effort)
Note: the CNS and ANS testing should be done during paranormal
experimentation, with truly random . inter-trial intervals.
Central Ilervous
System
Fl - Evoked potential -- tones and ma lights, several frequencies
at specified amounts above and below threshold
- EEG
- CNV -- lights, words, tachistoscope
Autonomic Nervous System
- GSR
- Heart rate
- Finger plethysmosram
- Respiration -- pneumatic or nasal
NOTE: For all of the above AUS measures we should have:
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(1) baselines and resting levels
(2) response to tones and lights
(3) sub-threshold stimuli
(4)
specialized testing
PART III: Identify (or provide theories on) the nature of the validated
paranormal phenomena and energy (approximately 10% of the
total project effort )
B
AIR MEN'S
Use of Beischer probes, if feasible ) specifying the energy
-
Use of Gradiometers
) level, field strength,
intensity of stimuli
( sponsor's
glar + ofpirates?)
- Whether in eclectic or creative mode, attempt to
provide basic theoretical constructs on the underlying
dynamics, the mode of communication or of energy
transference which seem consistent with the validated
phenomena
- Provide theories on means of developing/enhancing the gift
PART IV:
General Comments and Observations, Additional Suggestions
(1) For optimum credibility with sponsor elements (assuming validation
of the phenomena) we urge adoption of the most stringent experimental controls
feasible under the circumstances -- including, but not necessarily limited to,
use of non-paranormal lab referees fas
The who would; initially check the balance of the overall experimental
design; establish daily procedures and routine management practices before
beginning experimentation with the subjects; spot-check the on-going experiments;
· establish the random trials involving CNS, ANS and other (e.g., X-Ray) tests.
(2) Throughout the experimentation, use only qualified experts to
administer the various specialized tests;
(3) Before a day's experimentation, subjects should strip-down (removing
rings, wristwatches, etc, as well) and put on a special lab garment (jumpsuit) ;
(4) We should have a clearer understanding of the criteria employed by
the contractor in determining who are 'gifted' and 'superstar' subjects;
(5) It should be understood that, while the sponsor will not be given
the identities of the subjects along with the results of testing, the sponsor
will have access to all of the specified raw test data (above);
(6) If X-Rays are done on a spot basis during experimentation, it should
be limited to chest, hands and skull; (ultra-sound?) - of SRI'S ULTRA-SOUND
(7) We should also have a clearer understanding and, if possible, a set
rate ($10 per hour) for the subjects' fees;
(8) There should be matched normal-control subjects throughout;
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(9)
should be on the list of
'authorized' supervisors;
(10) It might be useful to have a simple yet comprehensive self-inventory
form (c.g., mood, rested, ailments, etc) for the subjects to fill out
on the morning of cach test day before interaction with lab personnel;
durchaus (11) Matters of protocol and procedure for any given experiment should not
be discussed with the subjects beforehand; and
(12) We should be clear on the nature of 'feedback' (when, how, how often)
to be given to the subjects during experimentation.
HAND ? ! (SRL'S ELGIN)
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87R000700110015-9
ILLEGIB