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DIRECT PERCEPTION OF REMOTE GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATIONS
Harold E.
Puthoff
and Russell Targ
Stanford Research Institute, Menlo Park,
California
94025
ABSTRACT
For the past five years we have been in-
vestigating aspects
of human perception that
appear
to fall outside
the range
of well-under-
stood perceptual/processing capabilities.
Of
particular interest
is
a human information-
accessing capability that we call "remote sens-
ing."
This phenomenon pertains
to the ability
of certain individuals
to access
and describe,
by means
of mental processes,
information
sources blocked from ordinary perception (for
example by distance or shielding)
and believed
to be secure
against such access.
In particu-
lar,
the phenomenon we have
investigated most
extensively
is
the ability of
a subject to view
remote geographical locations up
to several
thousand km distant
from his physical locatiyr^
given only
a known person on whom to target.
We have recently carried out coast-to-coast ex-
periments using
a computer network
to interface
with individuals whose remote perceptual abili-
ties have been developed sufficiently to allow
them to deseribe—often
in great detail-geo-
graphical or technical material such
as build-
ings,
roads,
and natural formations.
Our accumulated data indicate
that both
specially selected and unselected persons can
be
assisted
in developing remote perceptual
abilities up
to
a level of useful
information
transfer.
Further,
the extent of physical dis-
tance separating the subject from the target
site up
to transcontinental distances does not
appear to significantly affect
the accuracy of
the perception.
|
INTRODUCTION
In over 70 laboratory experiments
that now
include work with more than
a dozen subjects,
we have investigated
an often-reported human
perceptual ability that has heretofore not been
widely investigated
in the
laboratory.
This
ability,
brought
to our attention by
a subject,
Mr.
Ingo Swann,
we
term "remote
sensing.
It
is
an ability by which human subjects perceive,
and describe by word and drawing,
distant
scenes
and activities blocked from ordinary
perception.
In these experiments,
subjects
have been able
to describe with equal
accuracy
scenes
at both local
sites
(that
is,
within
a
few miles)
and those
at transcontinental dis-
tances.
As observed in the laboratory,
the basic
Phenomenon appears
to cover
a range of subjec-
tive experiences variously referred to
in the
literature
as
autoscopy
(in
the medical liter-
ature)
;
exteriorization or disassociation
(psychological literature);
simple clairvoy-
ance,
traveling clairvoyance,
or out-of-body
experience
(parapsychological
literature);
or
astral projection (occult literature).
We
choose
the
term "remote sensing"
as
a neutral
descriptive term free from prior associations
and bias
as
to mechanisms.
The need for
:
supportive setting
to over-
come prevailing societal prejudices
against
such remote sensing has been provided within
the confines
of
the Electronics
and Bioengi-
neering Laboratory and
the Radio Physics Lab-
oratory
at Stanford Research Institute
(SRI).
Here,
throughout our research spanning
a five-
year period,
we have worked with new and un-
trained subjects
so as
to avoid reliance on the
availability
of
a very limited number of
spe-
cial subjects.
Remote perceptual
abilities
in
several individuals have now been developed
sufficiently
to allow them
to describe—often
in considerable detail—geographical
or tech-
nical material such
as buildings,
roads,
and
real-time activities.
Since the initial publication of our in-^
vestigations
of
this remarkable phenomenon ,
L >
four successful replication experiments have
been performed
in other laboratories across the
country. 4-7
In addition,
we have
learned
through private communications
of several un-
published studies
of other successful experi-
ments
in paranormal functioning of
this
type.
In this paper we describe
the experimental
protocol used
to carry out the research and the
formal
judging procedure used to quantify
the
results.
In addition,
we detail recent experi-
ments
in coast-to-coast remote viewing that
have yielded results similar to
those obtained
in the
initial experiments using relatively
local
target sites.
Finally,
as
a step toward
achieving our research aim of using the experi-
mental data base
to deduce relevant physical
principles and laws governing paranormal or psi
functioning,
we examine some physical models
potentially applicable
to remote perception.
EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH
Description of the Protocol
(Local Targets)
The general protocol
is
to closet
a sub-
ject with an experimenter at SRI
and
at
a pre-
arranged time
to obtain from the subject
a de-
scription of
an undisclosed,
remote site being
visited by
a target team.
In each of
the ex-
periments,
there
is
an SRI experimenter on the
target demarcation team
at the remote location
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(a)
City map
of
target
location
FIGURE
SWIMMING POOL COMPLEX AS REMOTE VIEWING TARGET
that
is chosen in
a double-blind fashion out-
lined below.
An outbound experimenter
is assigned a
target location by an independent experimenter
who has generated
a list
of
targets
located
within
a 30-minute driving time
from SRI,
and
who accesses
this
list by
a randomization pro-
cedure.
The target pool consists
of more
than
100
target
locations chosen from
a target-rich
environment.
The
target location selected
is
kept blind to both the subject and experimenter
closeted at SRI.
In detail:
To begin the experiment,
a sub-
ject
is closeted with an experimenter at SRI
to
wait 30 minutes before beginning
a narrative
description of an undisclosed remote location
that will be
the target for the experiment.
A
second experimenter,
accompanied by other mem-
bers
of
a target demarcation
team,
then obtains
sealed traveling orders
from
a monitor who has
previously prepared and randomized
a set of
such orders.
After leaving SRI by automobile,
the
target demarcation team opens
the traveling
orders
and proceeds directly
to
the target
without any communication with the subject or
experimenter remaining
at
SRI.
The experiment-
er remaining with
the
subject
in
the
SRI
labo-
ratory
is 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 sub-
ject for clarification of his descriptions.
The
target demarcation team remains
at the target
site
for
a prearranged 15-minute period follow-
ing
the
30 minutes alloted for travel.
During
the observation period,
the experimenter in
the
lab tape-records
the subject’s
remote viewing
impressions
of
the
target site and collects
at
drawings made by the subject.
After
the
targt
demarcation team returns to SRI,
the
impress ic
obtained from the
subject are compared with
tl
actual observations of
the
team.
Finally,
following
the experiment,
the subject
is
takei
to
the site so that he may obtain direct
feedback.
Initial Experimental Series with
a Subject
Experienced
in Remote Viewing
Our first subject
in
a formal series
of
experiments
to investigate
the remote viewing
function
was
Mr.
Pat Price,
a former Califon
police commissioner and city councilman, who
participated
in nine experiments.
Mr.
Price
came
to our experiments with
a reported
histo:
of spontaneous remote viewing experiences.
Ii
general,
Price’s ability in our experiments
ti
describe correctly buildings,
docks,
roads,
gardens,
and the
like,
including structural
materials,
color,
ambience,
and activity— sonv
times
in great detail— indicated the function
of
a remote perceptual
ability.
A Hoover Tow
target,
for example,
was recognized and cor-
rectly named.
Nonetheless,
Price's descripti
generally contained inaccuracies
as well
as
c
rect statements.
A typical example
is
indica
by his drawing shown in Figure
in which he
correctly described
a park-like area containi
two pools
of water:
one rectangular,
X 89
ft
(actual dimensions
X 100
ft);
the other
circular,
diameter 120 ft
(actual diameter 11
ft).
As can be seen from his drawing,
he
als
included some elements,
such
as
the tanks
sho
in the upper right,
that
are not present
at
t
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target
site.
Wo
also note
an apparent
left-
right reversal ,
often observed
in paranormal
perception experiments
.
Further,
ho incorrectly indicated the
function of
the site
as water purif ication
rather than recreational
swimming.
We often
observe essentially correct descriptions of
basic elements and patterns coupled with incom-
plete or erroneous analysis
of function.
This
theme emerged as
a thread which continued
throughout our work and eventually led
to a
breakthrough with regard to an understanding of
the interrelationship between paranormal per-
ception and cerebral functioning,
namely:
that
paranormal functioning may involve specializa-
tion characteristic of the brain's right hemi-
sphere,
which predominates
in spatial
and other
holistic processing,
in contrast
to the
left
hemisphere which predominates
in verbal and
other analytical functioning. 8-1'^
Judging of Results
To obtain
a numerical evaluation of
the
accuracy of
the remote viewing experiment,
the
experimental results were subjected to indepen-
dent judging on
a blind basis by an SRI research
analyst not otherwise associated with the re-
search.
Price's response packets,
which con-
tained the nine typed,
unedited transcripts of
the tape-recorded narratives and associated
drawings,
were unlabeled and presented
in ran-
dom order.
Working
alone,
the analyst visited
each target location in turn and
in
a blind
fashion rated Price's descriptions on a scale
to
(best to worst match)
.
The statistic of
interest
is
the sum of ranks assigned to the
target-associated transcripts,
lower values
indicating better matches.
For nine targets,
the sum of ranks could range from nine
(for
perfect matching)
to eighty-one.
The technique
for calculating the probability
that
a given sum
of ranks
s or less will occur by chance
is given
in Reference 2,
The results of the judging,
shown in Table
1,
included seven direct hits out
of
the nine.
The overall result was statisti-
cally significant at p = 2.9
X 10~5
.
Table
also indicates
the various
types of targets
used
in this
series.
Further,
in experiments
3,
4,
and 6-9,
the subject was secured
in
a
double-walled copper screen Faraday cage,
which
provides 120-dB attenuation for plane-wave
radio-frequency radiation over the range
of
kHz
to
1 GHz.
The results
of rank-order
judging indicate
that
the use of such shielding
does not prevent high-quality descriptions from
being obtained.
Replication Series with a Subject Inexperienced
in Remote Viewing
Having completed this initial series of
experiments with Price,
we concluded that
Table
DISTRIBUTION OF RANKINGS ASSIGNED TO
TRANSCRIPTS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH TARGET
LOCATION FOR EXPERIENCED SUBJECT PRICE
Target Location
Distance
(km)
Rank
o
Associa
Transcri|:
Hoover Tower,
Stanford
3.4
Baylands Nature
Preserve,
Palo Alto
6.4
Radio
telescope,
Portola Valley
6.4
Marina,
Redwood City
6.8
Bridge
toll plaza,
Fremont
14.5
Drive-in theatre,
Palo Alto
5.1
Arts
and Crafts Plaza,
Menlo Park
.
1.9
Catholic Church,
Portola Valley
8.5
Swimming pool complex,
Palo Alto
3.4
Total sum of ranks
(p=2.9X10~
remote viewing was both a real and a robust
phenomenon.
Our next task was
to try
to find
out how widely distributed
the ability was
in
the general population.
We began with the
following replication experiment.
The subject
for this experiment was Mrs.
Hella Hammid,
a gifted professional photogra-
pher.
She was selected for this series on th
basis of her good performance
as
a percipient
in an earlier EEG experiment designed to meas
physiological response
to remote strobelight
stimuli,
a hypothesized screening procedure
f
remote viewing.
Outside of that interaction,
she had had no previous experience with appar
paranormal functioning.
At the time we began working with
Mrs.
Hammid,
she had no strong feelings about
the likelihood of her ability to succeed
in
t
task.
This was
in contrast to both Ingo Swan
who suggested these experiments and who had
come
to our laboratory fresh from an apparent
successful series of similar experiments with
Dr. Karlis Osis at
the American Society for
Psychical Research
(ASPR)
in New York1 -*- and
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Pedestrian
Overpass
Target
FIGURE
SUBJECT HAMMID DRAWING, DESCRIBED AS "SOME KIND OF DIAGONAL TROUGH
UP
IN THE AIR"
Pat Price,
the first subject
in our formal
series
of experiments,
who felt that he used his
remote viewing ability
in his everyday life.
In working with an inexperienced subject,
we must take
into account the
fact
that many
people are influenced to
a large degree by their
environment and by public scrutiny when it comes
to activities generally considered to be
impos-
sible.
A reluctance
to cope with negative feed-
back from society often inhibits
individuals
from exploring
a potential
for paranormal per-
ception.
Therefore,
in addition to maintaining
scientific rigor,
one of our primary tasks
as
researchers
is
to provide an environment that
lends protective support for
a subject
to pur-
sue such exploration.
With a new subject, we
also stress
the nonuniqueness of
the ability
because our experience
indicates
that paranor-
mal functioning
is
a latent ability that all
subjects can demonstrate
to some degree.
We observed
in working with Price that
i
remote viewing structure and form tended to b
correct even when interpretation was
incorrec
We
therefore found
it an advantage that
Mrs.
Hammid's artistic background enabled her
to draw and describe visual
images
that she
could not identify in any cognitive or analyt
sense.
When the target demarcation team went
to a pedestrian overpass
target
location,
for
example,
the subject said
that she saw "a kin
of diagonal
trough up in the air," which she
indicated
in the upper part of her drawing in
Figure
2.
She further explained that "if you
stand where they are standing you will
see
something like
this,"
indicating the nested
squares
at the bottom of Figure
2.
As can be
seen from the photograph of
the
target locati
as shown in Figure
2,
a judge standing where
indicated would have
a view closely resemblin
what she had drawn.
We emphasize,
however,
t
judges did not have access
to our photographs
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