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IEMORANDUM FOR 1

SUBJECT

1 Proposal for Rosearch on Improvements in Intorroration Techniques by the Use of Aural Side Tone Delay.

1. Approximately two weceks apo,

called me bccaune of his
knowledgo of my previous connoction with rasearch matters
and brought to my attention the subject proposal, copies
of which are attached heroto. 1:35 aal an

in towm and arrangementa were mane or tyuerr uri to uitmass a demonstration. We were vcry much impressed with this demonstration and feel that this device nay be possibly used in conneotion with CIA, endeavors. Thie proposal was reforred to of I&s. It has since been returned to mo with a notation that this particular device-would not have any feasible use in their progrem.

2. I am passin this on to you in order that you may put this proposal into the proper channels, CIA, wide because I beliove it has a potential use in some of our operations. It is ry supgestion that it may be of value to determinc how well our agents may be able to react under pressure. It could also be of use in connection with prisoner of war interrogation. It appears also, as was demonstrated, to have a potential use in connection with the prorram wherein after the interrcgator has developed critical arens, by akillful use this particular type of detection might result in a confession. If any activity here is interested in a demouitration or development of this proposal, I vould be very glad to agsist them in making arrangoments as far os how to contoct, the proper If, within a people in the

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22 October 1951

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FROFCEAL FOR RESEARCH OU ILPEOETETS IR JNTERROGATION TTCHNICIUES BY TIE USE OF AURAL SIDE TO'E DELAY

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Proposal for Research on Improvements in Intorrogation Techniques by the Use of Aural Side Tone Delay

As a rosult of sonodiscussions betveen and the undersigned on tle subjeot of

of the

observations on the effects of side tone delay and t: possible pplietion of effact to criminal and prisoner of nr interrogation, some c: xperiments vere conducted to gain an idea of the possible scopo and potential importance and practicahility of the technique.

Subsequently, in a duzonstration, witnessed by of the sub-

jont, zho had come in for routine lle-detsctor examinetion in connection with confessed with unusual

abruptness vhen he vms subject- o sjde tone deley during his ansvors to the porticular questions to -hich he had previously given abnormnl blood prossure responses under test with theFolyeraph.

The apparatus utilized was corparsti.., sirple, consisting of a iegnccord Model ITs3-Ay Recorder and Lncpecorl Nodcl Fos- Amplifier. Ihis recorler has three magnetic heads for erasing, recording nd monitoring'a 'ave es it is pulled thrcugh the system nt 7.5 inches fer sccond. The rocoriing od is seperated from the playback head hy l-1/4 inches, providing e fixed Jelnv of atont O.2 seconds between a souud utterrd by the subject into the recording microphone and the recordod-pleybacc sirnal in the earphones worn by the subjeot being interrogated.. An nlternntive delay of O.l second, nttained with the sane rocord-playback headcpacing but with a tape speod of 15 inches ner sacond is available but prelimirarj, trsts indicated, as was to he xppoted from wrk, that a 0.? second delay ha.s considerable more effect on the subject than a O.l second delay. Consequently. the O.2 second delay was used in further testing.

The subject strongly maiutained his innocence in prclirinary questioring ond durin end after the tost using theFolygrph, which racords blood pressure, heart rate, rcspiration rete end muscular norcaont. The polycroph record shcred arnormal deviations during, seteral key questions. The sutjact was then interrogated with the aid of ths cid, tozu delay apparatus virg thc ey questions and a variety of irrelovant questions. The ride tone delay was cnployed during the nnswers to the questions which hnd proviously given abnoral prlyeraph rorponscs and was cut oul o that there was no delay durin th answert to quustiors vrich had oecasionod no abnormil polygroph responses- After enneludiur this part of tho interrozotion the rccord wes pleyed back and the subjent, was asked the rcason "or hi- difficulty in rivirg answers to the key questions. The confession followed almost irmediatoly.

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It, shonld to pointed out that tlis toolnique, or a. refinel redifieation of it, ir cmpleyed zith rn iunocont sut.ject rh has -iven pseudo-cuilty reactions. cannot rosult infalss sclf-incriminntion in the nature of thinrs. hut et most would result in a somewhit confiured state of mind on ths part of the subject.

It is there cro cur desire to pursue this line of investisation and to dcvote particular pttentian to sereral points. Tieso srs:

1. Throuzh iestigation af the variables suc'has longth of delay used, the snooth variation of-dolay during the interval of passing froa an irrelevant to  !cy. (uiliy rcsponse) suestion, the timingof quustions, the reading f s prepared stateuent versus quostioving during the test, the length of answer desired from the subject, etc.

2. The adoptationd the techrique to prisorer of tar interrogation, since πe heliave fron these preliminnry experiments that striking increases in speed and nfficiency of the irtorrogation and subsequent divulcerce cf desircd infermation my be found posrible.

?. Thc inzctigation of remote readin instrnentation, since it atpears to vs that one of the imeortant differeacos bstwecn criminal and prisone- of ar intorrcfatien liec in the non-volunteor nature of the latter nrd therefore questioning vithout inst-iroutaticn attachcd to tho sulject, may have decided edvantages over the usual polycraph technique. It. appcars rcasonahle, for instance, thst remote iniicating infra-red raliatir lavel indicntors, which have rencled a bigh da;ree of devclonrert in other fielcs, could take the place of the blood rrosrure polyamnh attacinont -ithout the subject beint awire of the roaruremort takin, plnco. This assuuption is bascd on et appars to be.n reasonable erpectation of a hoart, rnte, skin radiaticn correlation.

4. The investigation of the possibility of producing side tone deley nnd allind effects mithout the use of enrphores. It is beliovic ruosonnble to oncet that ty vse of a microphone, ostoncibly for recording nurposos. hut which is o modified throat type of microphone so that undenirablc foud-back cen he avoidod, coupled vith focursine speskers, that rrisc the lecl of sound in the viciaity o the subiezt'?ars ruficinntly no tht of his lircct voice levcl so thet he is pwars only of tho tound fror thc cpoksrs, the effect ef cide tone delny may bo rained rithout ettiched marphenes. This mey he desirn:le for non-voluntcer questionint.

. rccortion detection nolyrranh teciriiqucs havo not reached the sint et which thcir are is simple and antomtie. r a nttor of fact, sobor annlvein szes thet hichly etperienced cnertors and iutarorators are a rize nccssity becnuse of vide individunl diffcronee emonr cubjects. Ir moy ultinately nrove possiblu, hovover, ith inprororonts in polygraph tesh yicues to omcrate directly sido tore delay hy alnorul rolycraph rosponscs. Hoedlees to say, the mattir is Tolatively cimple frem a recharisal and elagtronie point of viev. Servo mechanism tcciniques would provide tile latitudc in the selcction n desirable rospcnse characteristics. If lie-

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etetr terhoiries ean be afficiently imeroved the direct cantrol o ide tone deln wil! t- nn alrost imrodiatc reslity.

It mi-ht he stated at this point that if ti:e

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efroer to choose this leboritory for the eperimental rork surposted that the business case los will have to te reducad to rocommodate the projeat. However, it must be further stated that the experiments, ty nccessity and far adequate results, must be dxicistorcd usinr actual lnlorutory case subincts. It les nlrnys been the allogation of thal: failures in lie detsction exborimentation have heen due to thc use of experimontal care subjccts who dsmoustrate 2 willingmass to cooperte so thint tl- cxpcriments will be a succers. Actunl case subjeots, by the nnturo of thcir pliht, will not hor the sane willirgnoss to cooperate to ascist the expcriments

Wo believe

facilitios are adequate and actusl caso lord sufficient to complete the experiment.

This proliminary proposal is submitted to the for tho purpose of ascertainine ths possihilit, of naval intcrest
in on finncial support of a resoarch program along the lincs discussed
above. It is foroseen that a full inc investigntor will hs requirod.
Tustrumentatior, somo cf vhich is aveilable from stock and asre of hich
will havc to te puzially dosigucd and huilt, vill be roquired. will serve as director on a part-time basis.

Very truly pyeurs,

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