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: Mind/Behavior Control

I. Thc purpose of this mezorandun is to succinctly outline the various techuiques that foll under the rubric of "aind" or "behavior control" (paragreph 2) and to indicate which projects phas supporzed, is currently supporting, or is considaring for support that may be misconotrued as having the control of others as the primary goal (paragrapi 3). The terme "mind coutrol" or '-behavior control" can be interprcted in contert of controlling othcrs or controlling oelf; the question of echics is likely to arise if tnc forner interpretacion is ued. Whatever interpretation is used, the cechniques are not as efficacious or finely tuned as the popular media leads oue to belicvo. Lastly, onc should bear iu mind that nost of the tcchniques are still cxpcrimeazal in nature and have es a primary Coal tho underscanding of brain-bchzvior relations whici in turn may lead to "contzol" in the sense of therapcutic intervention or patient managemenc.

2. The follouing techaiques are gencrally considered under "control" tecimology:

a. Psychosurgery - dircct intarvention int. tha ncurclogical pechays that mediate or control behavior. The procedure my be nonreversible (surgical extirpatioa) or reversible (electrical stinulatiou). This approach has rccelved a great deal of publirity recently in context of gurgery being perforoed to control asgrassive behavior.

b. Psychopharmncoloy - behavioral control is achieved by altering the brain chenistry. Tranquilizers and energizers are the two most common classes. This technique is widcly used in cliuical meuicine. Tho technique is for thc post part safe and effective but docs not really afrord fine coutrol. The notion of a "peace" piil, "truth" pill or "omart" pill is still in che wish staga.

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SUBJECT

5 March 1973

MEDRANDUI FOR:

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c. Behavior nodification - this tera refere to alterations in behavior that are achieved by using couditioning teclumiques, usually variations on operant or perfornnce conditioaiag. The bciiavior beirg altcred or controllad cen bc oither eternal (behavior) or intcrnal (autoncnic or central nervous systen) responses. Tbe con-.ditioning or control of intarnal response (biorecdback), particuiarly those of the central ncrvous systca, e.S., alpha waves, has reccived ruca publicity as mind control vith fantastle claims for its ucility. Wiilc thore is no doubt charthc physiological responses are indeed controllable (uithin limits), there is no good evidance thae the desired behavioral concomitants are autonatically changed, i.e., creativisy incrcased. On the other hand, tnero is soce cvidence that coa=rol o autonouic nervous systen fumccions may have some chorapeut'e utiliry, c.g., control of cardiac ariythmias or hypertension, again within limits.

d. Educacion - tho coct inaocuous, cost,effcctive and acccptable means of effocting behavioral ccatrol or change is education. The educacive process vhich includes propaganda teclniques, does not merciy transait information buc a belicf or value systen as well. It is the latter which often provides the iapetus to dramatic and difficult to understand behaviors, c.s., suicidal tarrorist cctivicies.

e. Special tcchniques:

(1) Eyyuosis and sclf-bypnosis (autogensis) - this is a real but very poorly understood phenonena. Contrary to popular belicf, hypnosis is effoctive only vich very cooperative and .sugcestibln subjects. Much is dependant unon the belief systes of thc subject, particularly in self-ypnosis. Except uith rare subjects, the technique does not appear uniforuly reliable. Of late, hypnosis and biofeediback are beinz tied together apporently on the siaplo prcaise that t:o is better than one. There is no good eviience for or against this linkage.

(2) Esp - interest in this arca is on the upswing agaia, in large part dun to current popularity in lay literature of "biofccdback" technology. The basic prenise appears to be that all iudividuals (or nost) have "Esp" as a latent capability

C00021971

SUBJECT: Mind/Behavior ConErol

2.

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SULJECT: lind/Belavior Control

and that biofcedback pronrams vill allou it co becone nanifest. This then becoues tho route to "aind cortrol" in the scnse that the Lndividual will have at his beck and call telepathic, clairvoyaat, peychokinctic or other unusual capabilities. The claims are made by companics offering traiaing prograns, markcting biofeedback cquipment oz boch. Thus far, no evidence (othor than testinonials) has surfaeed. which substanciates chese clains.

3. Past, present, or plannedprojects by category as in paragraph 2, which may be misconstrued as a CLì program in mind or behavior contzol:

a. Psychosurgeryhas supported a basic research project on the Loealization of Menory Procasses. The experiaental animal is the rhesus monkcy; sclectcd arcas or the aninalo prcfrontal lobes are surgically rcnoved and the animal is tested to deternine its ability to "remember" old tasks and/or to learn nev ones. This class of rescarcl has becn going on in academia for over 35 years and is decoed : respectabla" in that setting. There are nq renewal plans upon the expiration of the curront contract vith! 1

This research has been INCLASSFIED.

b. Psychophermacology - the rTE progra fell into this category. The objectiva of the MTERIALS ANALYSIS/TE progran was to develop the capability of dececting and nullifying thc use of psyehooctive drugs on U.S. personnal abroad. The central project in the progran was the maintenance of a Facility to deterniue the biological and behavioral activity of certain conpounds in nice, rats, and monkeys. Per dircccion, cll rt projects have becn cancelled and are in various plaseout stages. Associgtion vith tho Agcucy has been classified; major controctor was the

c. Behavior modification:

(1) Operant coaditioning, biofcodback - no wort: iu this area has been supported in thc past. Bicfeedback will be examined in contcxt of the/ Iprogran. Assoclation with the Agency uill bc classified; probable ccntractor is the 1

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SUSJECT: lifnd/Bchavior Control

(2) Istudies - this is an on-going project vhose goal is to deteriaine vhcther the potential can be uscd as an indicator that an individual may have undergone soae "coniitionine." proccss impingiag on hia valuc systca. The is che contractor, tork and association are UiCLASSLFIED.

d. Educazion - noactivitics; -some past work in support of e.g., program assisted instruction stulies.

e. Spccial techniquas:

(1) Hypnosis - past involvement kas to use expertise of a contractor (who had been tasked to examine ocher things) to stay abreast of devclopments in tho ficld. Current nlans call for prelininary vork on hypnosis in contct o thei

progran. Probable contraetor is thel association with che Agency vill be classified but the work will be UCLASSFLED.

(2) EsP - cle basic positionhas tcken has been to stay abreast of the developoents through the use of a perscnal sarvices contract. Apart fron the nonitozipe effort, support. ja projecz with 1

on coincident Eo's in twins. késults were negetive. Plaas ror future active rescarch are umccrtafn bue are likely to be a cooperative endcavor within context of current progran at,

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