Approved For Release 2002/05/17 : CIA-RDP96-00787R000500020001-6 ITI SRI INVESTIGATIONS OF REMOTE VIEWING Experimentation in remote viewing began during studies carried out to investigate the abilities of a New York artist, Mr. Ingo Swann, when he expressed the opinion that the insights gained during experiments at SRI had strengthened his ability (verified in other research before he joined the SRI program) to view remote locations [54]. To test Mr. Swann's assertion, a pilot study was set up in which a series of targets from around the globe were supplied by SRI personnel to the experimenters on a double- blind basis. Mr. Swann's apparent ability to describe correctly details of buildings, roads, bridges, and the like indicated that it may be possible for a subject by means of mental imagery to access and describe randomly chosen geographical sites located several miles-from the subject's position and demarcated by some appropriate means. Therefore, we set up a research program to test the remote viewing hypothesis under rigidly con- trolled scientific conditions. In carrying out this program, we concentrated on what we considered to be our principal responsibility--to resolve under unambiguous conditions the basic issue of whether or not this class of paranormal perception phe- nomenon exists. At all times, we and others responsible for the overall program took measures to prevent sensory leakage and subliminal cueing and to prevent deception, whether intentional or unintentional. To ensure evaluations independent of belief structures of both experimenters and judges, all experiments were carried out under a protocol, described below, 25 Approved For Release 2002/05/17 : CIA-RDP96-00787R000500020001-6
Approved For Release 2002/05/17 : CIA-RDP96-00787R000500020001-6 in which target selection at the beginning of experiments and blind judg- ing of results at the end of experiments were handled independently of the researchers engaged in carrying out the experiments. “six subjects, designated 51 through S6, were chosen for the study: Three were considered as gifted or experienced subjects (S1 through $3), and three were considered as learners (54 through S6). The a priori dichotomy between gifted and learners was based on the experi- enced group having been successful in other studies conducted before this program and the learners group being inexperienced with regard to para- normal experimentation. The study consisted of a series of double-blind tests with local targets in the San Francisco Bay Area so that several independent judges could visit the sites to establish documentation. The protocol was to closet the subject with an experimenter at SRI and at an agreed-on time to obtain from the subject a description of an undisclosed, remote site being visited by a target team. In each of the experiments, one of the six program subjects served as remote-viewing subject, and SRI experimen- ters served as a target demarcation team at the remote location chosen in a double-blind protocol as follows. In each experiment, SRI management randomly chose a target location from a list of targets within a 30-minute driving time from SRI; the tar- get location selected was kept blind to subject and experimenters. The target pool consisted of more than 100 target locations chosen from a 26 Approved For Release 2002/05/17 : CIA-RDP96-00787R000500020001-6
Approved For Release 2002/05/17 : CIA-RDP96-00787R000500020001-6 target-rich environment. (Before the experimental series began, the Direc- tor of the Information Science and Engineering Division, not otherwise associated with the experiment, established the set of locations as the target pool which remained known only to him. The target locations were printed on cards sealed in envelopes and kept in the SRI Division office safe. They were available only with the personal assistance of the Division Director who issued a single randomenumber selected target card that constituted the traveling orders for that experiment.) In detail: To begin the experiment, the subject was closeted with an experimenter at SRI to wait 30 minutes before beginning a narrative description of the remote location. A second experimenter then obtained from the Division Director a target location from a set of traveling orders previously prepared and randomized by the Director and kept under his con- trol. The target demarcation team, consisting of two to four SRI experi- menters, then proceeded by automobile directly to the target without any communication with the subject or experimenter remaining behind. The ex- perimenter remaining with the subject at SRI was kept ignorant of both the particular target and the target pool so as to eliminate the possibility of cueing (overt or subliminal) and to allow him freedom in questioning the subject to clarify his descriptions. The demarcation team remained at the target site for an agreed-on 15-minute period following the 30 27 Approved For Release 2002/05/17 : CIA-RDP96-00787R000500020001-6
_ Approved For Release 2002/05/17 : CIA-RDP96-00787R000500020001-6 minutes allotted for travel.* During the observation period, the remote viewing subject was asked to describe his impressions of the target site into a tape recorder and to make any drawings he thought appropriate. An informal comparison was then made when the demarcation team returned, and the subject was taken to the site to provide feedback. A. Subject Sl: Experienced To begin the series, Mr. Pat Price, a former California police com- missioner and city councilman, participated as a subject in nine experi- ments. In general, Price's ability to describe correctly buildings, docks, roads, gardens, and the like, including structural materials, color, am- ambience, and activity--often in great detail--indicated the functioning of a remote perceptual ability. A Hoover Tower target, for example, was recognized and named by name. Nonetheless, in general, the descriptions contained inaccuracies as well as correct statements. A typical example is indicated by the subject's drawing shown in Figure 3 in which he cor- rectly described a park-like area containing two pools of water: one rectangular, 60 x 89 ft (actual dimensions 75 x 100 ft); the other circu- lar, diameter 120 ft (actual diameter 110 ft). He incorrectly indicated the function, however, as water filtration rather than recreational swim- ming. (We often observe essentially correct descriptions of basic elements “the first subject (S1) was allowed 30 minutes for his descriptions, but it was found that he fatigued and had little comment after the first 15 minutes. The viewing time therefore was reduced to 15 minutes for sub- jects S2 through S6., 28 I Approved For Release 2002/05/17 : CIA-RDP96-00787R000500020001-6
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