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Brian Skyrms
•
.
' -
. -V
.
Research
design
is
good.
To
test the
overall feedback hypothesis.
Results
negative.
There are no hard conclusions drawn, about the hypothesis about the
“viewability” of different kinds are targets.
Could be tested in the future, with
an experiment carefully designed to do that.
•
an experiment
^:;^^^^Recommendation:
Yes
;^^^p|:,NAME:
Mike Wartell
Comments:
;
1,
Design, protocols -
all are satisfactory.
Results appropriate.
(§|P^j^v.u
Recommendation:
Yes
November
3, 1988
November
3, 1988
"'NAME:
Comments:
Chris Zarafonetis
1*
Well
done.
The
approach
is
described and
findings
are
given
in
relevant
Objective/Task studies reports.
Recommendation:
Yes
November
4, 1988
NAME:
Comments:
Phil Zimbardo
This
is an excellent improvement in procedure, more technically/" cosmetically”
sound 'and preferred by RV subjects.
For future research,
target pool should eliminate those with low
hit rates and
utilize those with highest hit rates
(for category type) and target.
Page 3 - Please elaborate and detail what “certain characteristics” enhance RV
quality.
Need to develop optimal protocol materials.
Recommendation:
November
4, 1988
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SOC Reviewers’ Comments, Objective E, Task 3
(The Effects Of Hypnosis On Remote Viewing Quality)
(verbatim transcription—not edited)
NAME:
Herb Ley
Comments:
1.
The study described in this task
is straightforward, and the research design and
statistical analyses are appropriate
for the hypothesis.
The sample
size of two
seems rather small, but is compensated
for,
I suspect, by the data available on
these two persons from prior studies. No results were presented in #he report, so
I cannot comment on them or on conclusions.
2.
I was impressed by the comments on page 2 under “Objective” that the monitor
had observed the viewer to be
in a more internally focused and relaxed
state
after hypnosis than during the control period.
The same observation has been
made
by
their
practitioners
for
both
meditation
and
prayer.
However,
meditation” and
“prayer”
have
different meanings
to
different people, and
would be almost impossible to apply to a controlled
scientific study.
There
is
sufficient data on hypnosis to place
it in a more objective category of variables
for study.
You did well to use
a professional
for induction
of hypnosis.
The
point
I object to in the report is the use of the word, “trance.”
That word may
be replaced by the phrase,
“altered
state
of consciousness,”
or ASC
if you
prefer, to minimize the undesirable connotations of the word, “trance.”
Why
don’t you discuss that with Ornstein?
Recommendation:
Yes
November
1, 1988
NAME:
^
Robert Morris
Comments:
1.
The research design could have used relaxation as
a control condition rather
than proofreading.
Proofreading is a different category of experience altogether.
The
protocol
and
analysis
seem
fine.
The
conclusions
offer
interesting
possibilities, but the concept of displacement has some
difficulties.
2.
Basically, you are using hypnosis to accomplish something, to be helpful in aiding
some aspect of psi-mediated information processing.
So why not see
if there
is
any evidence that
it has an effect upon information processing, and
if greater
effects are associated with stronger psi performance.
If so, you have learned
something and can then go on to tease out whether expectation (not ruled out in
this study) or some aspect of hypnosis contributed to psi directly or some other
process which in turn affected psi.
Recommendation:
Yes
November 4, 1988
A-16
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NAME:
James Press
Comments:
1.
Page
- Why
is
the
fact
that
“the
subject was
not
blind
to
experimental
condition
considered a design flaw?
If the subject had no psychic
ability, so
what
if he knew why he was being hypnotized?
2.
Section F - There
is no explanation for how a p-value was computed for each
viewer of his 16 trials.
I suspect independence
is required, but the trials are not
mutually independent.
Recommendation:
Yes
November
1, 1988
NAME:
Brian Skyrms
#
Comments:
1.
This was a more or less exploratory experiment with negative results.
Further
research along this lines should be given low priority.
Recommendation:
Yes
November 4,
1988
NAME:
Yervant Terzian
v
Comments:
1.
Page
2, paragraph
1 - Do we understand hypnosis?
2.
Page
2, paragraph 2 - significant
(?).
3.
Page 3, paragraph
1, second sentence - Could also minimize!
Since we do not
understand the causes!
4.
Page
4, 4th
full paragraph - Question second sentence.
*
5.
Page
5,
first paragraph - Re. word communicate in line
6 - was this verbal?
6.
Page
5, Figure
1 - Re. RV. 15-30 minutes - per target?
7.
Page
5,
last paragraph, second sentence - better way?
Results?
Recommendation:
Yes
November
7,
1988
NAME:
Mike Wartell
Comments:
1.
Design
protocols
for
purpose
of
the
experiment
are
satisfactory.
Suggest
discontinuing
trance RV
aspect
and,
if
this
approach
is
to
be
continued,
emphasize post hypnotic suggestion approach.
Recommendation:
Yes
November
3, 1988
A-17
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NAME:
Chris Zarafonetis
Comments:
1.
This report provides
a very good review of prior literature concerning studies
utilizing hypnosis in association with psychic tests. There were past reports which
indicated
a
possible enhanced
effect
for RV under
the
hypnotic
condition.
Although the findings were not statistically significant, some flaws in the protocol
were noted and further studies should not be ruled out,
Recommendation:
Yes
November 4,
1988
NAME:
Phil Zimbardo
Comments:
1.
Interesting attempt.
#
2.
I would have preferred that we use only subjects who scored 12 - top of the line
“ to start with.
Yes,
I agree with your page
8 inference.
8 — Yes, there should have been more hypnosis—RV training trials.
4.
Page
3 - Spelling error.
In general, the hypnosis training and
its application werfe good and warranted,
but better approach is suggested on page 9.
Continue with pilot study procedure
to use hypnosis for “clearing up the subject’s mental state,” so he/she can focus
better on RV target.
Recommendation:
Yes
November 4,
1988
A-18
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