SECT Approved For Release 2003/09/09 : CIA-RDP96-00787R000700110011-3 HAHORALDUL POR ‘Tits RecoRD SUBJECT SRI Trip Report: 17-18 June 1974 SG1I 1 Backsround and swzry-[ ston SeI on 17 and 18 June 197K, principally for the purposes of: examining the criteria used in the selection of paranormal subjects and controls; determining precisely what arrance- ments had been made for examining the subjects in the ‘basic research' context; establishing procedures for the reporting of all relevant data to us; and discussin such other 'basic' and 'applied' research issues as seemed appropriate. We met for about eight hours with Mssrs Jones, Puthoff and Targ on 17 June and for one hour with the latter two on 18 June. Despite what appeared to be conceptual problems on the part of Puthoff and Targ, relating largely to the kinds of rigorous researen disciplines which we were espousing as essential for the project, the discussions were business-like and well-focused and seemed to be useful for all concerned. 2. Selection and Categorization of Subjects. After five months of effort SRI has selected only five of the nine subjects: the three super-stars, one of the thres mid-stars and one of. the three controls. We stressed that significant and useful . the basis of research could commence only after they'd made definitive selections on/ specific and consistent criteria. One of the problems here seems to be the fact that Puthor> and Targ have been more interested in the testing and enhancing of psychic powers than in the establishment of rigorous research procedures~-with the consequence thar, - , as they've perceived ostensible improvements in the psychic powers of their ‘controls, they ‘ve tended to slide them up into the psychic eategories. Given their basic belier that everyone has psychic abilities, this could be a never-ending process. We stressed that we'd like to see all nine subjects designated by the end of July and they undertock to do so, We then spent several hours defining the three categories and specifying the pre-selection tests and criteria used in screening the subjects. a. Serecning Tests and Criteria. All subjects will have been tested on five ‘paranormal’ tasks. Those tasks, together with the related protocols ana criteria, were defined as follows. (1) the Random Mumbers Machine (testing ‘clairvoyance'): The basic serecning test will consist of 1000 trials (25 trials per run, 8 runs per doy for 5 days) and, thougn many subjects have gone well Leyond 1000 trials alres iy, SRI will report to ua data ond 'pt values on our nine subjects Just on the first 1000 trials, In the context of their RASA project over 169 peowle have been i , tegted on Chis machine; bhe data (copies of which will be senv ta us) are new bean cucdyced and ihe criteria far | . celection as tpsyentet pertormunes level. ee EE Lee Approved For Release 2003/09/09 : CIA-RDP96-00787R000700110011-3
Approved For Release 2003/09/09 : CIA-RDP96-00787R0007001 10011-3 will soon be established on the basis of this analysis. The present Suess is that criteria will be on the order of 0, (2) OB or Remote Viewing (testing for telepathy and/or clairvovance): The basic screening test will consist of 6 trials (lasting about one-half hour each), one per day; criteria for psychic performance level will soon be estab- lished but, in any case, it was agreed that results would have to be at least at the .01 level. It was also agreed that a pool of 20 new sites would be used for each subject; we also discussed the desirability of replacing used sites in subsequent trials for each given subject and, while no definite agreement was reached, it may be that SRT will do so. We spent considerable time discussing the judging procedures, the salient points being: the same five judges (all chosen by Mr Cox and representing a ‘hostile! to 'friendly' spread with resrect to paranormal research) will be used on a permanent basis; each judge works independently, is given a list of the sites which were randomly selected for the subject and copies of his transcripts; he visits each site and selects the best matching transcript; at the present time a plurality vote (i.e., 2 or more) of the judges, accurately matching 4 6r 3) of the 6 sites, is considered sisnif- icant--but, as noted, precise criteria will be specified by SRI in the near future, (3) EEG-Remote Stimulus (Strobe Light) (testing for telepathy via psycho- physiologic indicators): The basic screening test will consist of 8 runs, 20 trials per run, A ‘sending' subject is exposed to randomly selected stimulus (a 16 herz light for lo seconds) or non-stimulus, with one minute inter-trial ‘intervals; the ‘test! subject is in a shielded room and, upon hearing a "blin! signal on the intercom, has to call stimulus or non-stimulus; both subjects are being EEG-monitored and (aside from his calls) they are watching for alpha reduction in the test subject during the stimulus periods, Heretofore SRI had been averaging only the "S" and "Ns" alpha production for comparison purposes but they will now also average the inter-trial alpha for use as the subject's base-line. Criteria for psychic level performance ig now set at the .O1 level and will be confirmed by SRI, (14) Cards in Fnvelores (testing for clairvoyance): One run of 10 trials, with the stimulus cards (simple line drawings of ordinary objects) sclected randomly and double-blind from a pool of 20; the subjeet draws his responses and may, if he wishes, supplement the drawing by wribten commenLary; his responses are scored independently by two dudges. Phe criteria for psyehic level. porfonaance will be set by SRE but is now tentulively at the .01 level (testing foe PR): phe basic Approved For Release 2003/09/09 : CIA-RDP96-00787R000700110011-3