SECRET HOFORN
Approved For Release 2000/0$0§^£|^RDP96-00789R0031 00060001-1
III RESEARCH PLAN (U)
(S/NF) The Cognitive Sciences Program (CSP)
at Science Applications International Corporation
(SAIC) is currently engaged in applied and basic research in support of potential applications of anom-
alous mental phenomena for the intelligence community. Starting in February 1991, the CSP has initi-
ated a broad-based research effort to quantify the
physics, physiology, psychology, and protocol
parameters that will increase the signal strength of anomalous phenomena to the point where it can be
easily integrated into existing intelligence methodology.
(U) For the purpose of this section, we define research that is primarily directed at improving the quali-
ty of output (e.g., analysis techniques, choice of target material, etc.) as applied.
Research that is pri-
marily
directed
at
understanding
the
nature
of
the
phenomena
(i.e.,
signal
transmission,
neurophysiology, etc.) as basic. The applied and basic research domains are broad and contain substan-
tial numbers of items in each category. A block diagram of an overview of these items and a brief defini-
tion/description of each can be found in Appendix A.
While this potpourri provides insight into the
breadth of the research into anomalous mental phenomena, it does not form the basis of an integrated
and focused research plan. Rather than a broad overview, in this section we provide a highly focused
and detailed research plan.
1. (U) Anomalous Cognition
(U) Given that the earlier program was able to verify the existence of AC and not able verify the exis-
tence of AP, the approaches to these domains will be considerably different. In this section we describe
the research plan only for AC.
(U) In a typical AC task, we define:
• Receiver
An individual who attempts to perceive and report information about a target.
• Target
An item that is the focus of an AC task (e.g., person, place, thing, event).
• Target Designation A method by which a specific target, against the backdrop of all other possible
targets, is identified to the Receiver (e.g., geographical coordinates).
• Sender—An individual who, while receiving direct sensorial stimuli from an intended target, acts as a
putative transmitter to the Receiver.
• Monitor—An individual who monitors an AC session to facilitate data collection.
• Session—A time period during which AC data is collected.
• Protocol—A template for conducting a structured session.
• Response—Material that is produced during an AC session in response to the intended target.
• Analyst—An individual who provides a quantitative measure of AC.
• Speciality—A class of targets that is particularly successful for a given receiver’s ability (e.g., people
as opposed to buildings).
A Long-Term, Integrated, Basic and Applied Research Plan (U)
A^RMi For Release 2000/08S^QB-SJpllQf(lllR0031 00060001-1
Approved For Release 2000/0
9R0031 00060001-1
DRAFT
These definitions will be used throughout this section.
(S/NF)
Conceptually, the anomalous— cognition research plan is designed to.
• Identify individuals with natural or trainable ability.
• Train those individuals to improve and stabilize their output.
• Identify optimal target systems.
• Develop optimal data— collection protocols.
• Provide quantitative analysis procedures.
• Define and develop curricula for an intelligence community analyst training school.
• Conduct basic research.
The effort for each of these topics is designed to obtain results, within a timely manner, for basic and
applied research that are in direct support to intelligence applications. Each topic is discussed in the
foUowmg section.
1.1
(U) Major AC Topics for Research
(U) The research topics described in this section are primarily applied. No topic, however, is exclusively
applied or basic; rather, only the primary emphasis determines the research domain.
1.1.1
(U) Receiver Selection
(U) In considering research of anomalous cognition, selecting receivers who are potentially capable of
demonstrating high-quality AC is of primary interest
Traditional psychological screening methods
have not been particularly successful in the past, and general random behavioral screening is substan-
tially inefficient . 16 ’17 A schematic block diagram and a detailed discussion of the approach for develop-
ing a receiver selection procedure can be found in Appendix B. The development phase is similar to the
implementation phase, except that during the development, the various selection procedures will
change, whereas they will remain stable during the implementation. An overview of an implemented
selection procedure is provided here for clarity.
(U) The first step of selecting a receiver is to identify individuals who would be ideal candidates for
possessing natural AC ability. Such individuals might be chosen from the general population at large,
chosen on the basis of special characteristics (e.g., neurophysiology), or drawn from specialized groups
such as photo interpreters. Past research has indicated that carefully selecting of populations can signif-
icantly enhance the likelihood of finding good receivers . 18
(S/NF) A selected individual enters into a complete screening program which explores a variety of
physiological and psychological techniques. Criteria for accepting a given screening procedure must be
sensitive to potential receiver specialities.
It is important to realize that each of the possible selection
procedures that are examined require careful, and sometimes lengthy, testing so that the selecnon/re-
jection criteria are statistically meaningful. For example preliminary data suggest that an individual’s
response to a direct light stimulus may indicate AC ability. While these physiological responses can be
measured rapidly, determining the validity of this technique requires a large number of AC trials.
* (U) All ofthe top icsdiscussed in thissection require development, but the overviewspresented here will be of the implementa-
t (^Vn’gLral,
it is important to recognize that all of the AC research described in this section require extensive time and
resources to be statistically valid.
A Long-Term, Integrated, Basic and Applied Research Plan (U)
ApPRART For Release 2000/08S£GBB3E>HQfi98tiR0031 00060001-1
Approved For Release 2000/1
D
9R0031 00060001-1
DRAFT
(S/NF) A successful conclusion of this topic will include a series of speciality-dependent selection
manuals that can be used to optimize the staff of an operations unit, and provide addition receivers for
research.
1.1.2
(U) Training
(S/NF) Once a receiver has been selected, that individual must be trained for the laboratory environ-
ment, an operations unit, or both. Regardless of the end use, the initial stages of the training are simi-
lar. A schematic block diagram and a detailed discussion of the approach for developing a receiver
training procedure can be found in Appendix C. An overview of an implemented training procedure is
provided here for clarity.
(U) In order to assess the effectiveness of the training, a critical first step is to establish a baseline mea-
sure of the receivers native ability.
This will involve a variety of standardized, speciality -dependent
AC tasks, and considerable research is required to identify them.
(U) Once the baselines have been determined, the receiver will be trained by a number of techniques
that might include lucid dreaming (i.e., the recognition while dreaming that the experience is a dream),
hypnosis, or biofeedback (i.e., the entrainment of specific physiology that is an AC indicator). As each
technique is added to the training regimen, resulting AC responses are compared to their respective
baselines to determine the degree of improvement. Those techniques that fail predetermined statisti-
cal criteria are abandoned for this receiver’s training.
In the event that all techniques fail to demon-
strate improvement, the receiver exits the program.
(S/NF) To assess the efficacy of the training for the operational environment, the receiver will partici-
pate in a simulated operational setting. The targets for this test-bed will be known in detail, and the
target types will be similar to those in actual operations. Therefore, detailed analysis will be possible
and a receiver’s operational readiness can be determined.
(S/NF) A successful conclusion of this topic will include a series of training manuals that will include
acceptance criteria for individual operational AC— specialists.
1.1.3
(U) Target Selection
(S/NF) A trained receiver specialist requires appropriate targets.
Research has shown that there are
meaningful differences among target types and that all target are not identically sensed by AC abilities.
Specifically, in the laboratory, targets that contain dynamic activity are sensed significantly better than
are photographs . 18
Preliminary calculations involving concepts from thermodynamics appear to con-
firm this finding. In the operational setting, a casual observation has shown that highly dynamic targets
(e.g., directed energy systems) are rarely missed in AC sessions.
(U) The target -selection topic examines a number of possible target descriptions and establishes cate-
gories based on a variety of target measures (e.g., physical, emotional, functional, etc.). These mea-
sures are designed to indicated the degree to which a target may be sensed by AC. A block diagram and
a detailed discussion of the approach for developing a target selection procedure can be found in Ap-
pendix D, but for clarity, an overview of an implemented target selection procedure is provided here.
(S/NF) Regardless if a candidate target is intended for a laboratory experiment or for an operational
activity, the target analysis is identical. The target is parsed into its appropriate aspects such as func-
A Long-Term, Integrated, Basic and Applied Research Plan (U)
For Release 2000l(fo&*BXi&^1MW9R00ZW006000'l-'l
Approved For Release 2000/0
DRAFT
9R0031 00060001-1
tional or emotional content, objects, or related conceptual elements. This parsing constitutes a struc-
tural definition of the target which can be analyzed with regard to predetermined acceptance criteria
and historical performance.
Establishing appropriate criteria and meaningful target aspects are sub-
stantial research issues.
The previous program, however, had developed preliminary mathematical
structures that can be used to expedite the research in this effort . 19
(S/NF) A successful conclusion of this topic will be specific guidelines for the optimal selection of tar-
gets for the laboratory and for the operational setting.
1.1.4
(U) Protocol Selection
(S/NF) Once the primary constituents of an AC session have been identified (i.e., a receiver and a tar-
get), a session protocol must be selected to optimize the data collection.
Session protocols are exten-
sively discussed in the open literature, and the previous program had examined one specific aspect (i.e.,
feedback of target material to the receiver within and after a session) in depth . 20 ’21 The requirements
for a protocol that is designed for a laboratory setting are considerably more restrictive than those re-
quired for an operational setting. For example, providing limited information to a receiver before an
operational session
is complete might facilitate the acquisition of the desired data, but intermediate
feedback is completely restricted in a laboratory experiment. A schematic block diagram and a detailed
discussion of the approach for developing session protocols can be found in Appendix E. A conceptual
overview is provided here for clarity.
(U) There are four primary areas of interest for an AC session protocol. Some AC sessions are con-
ducted with the receiver in some form of altered state (e.g., a sleep and dreaming) while others are con-
ducted in a fully-awake business-like manner. The general state of the receiver may influence the
quality of the data, and it is likely that the receiver conditions will also be speciality and receiver depen-
dent.
Similarly, the physical environment (e.g., temperature, geomagnetic field, etc.), how the feed-
back (i.e., target information overtly provided to the receiver), if any, is provided; and the mechanism
by which the receiver is directed to the intended target (i.e., target designation) will influence the quali-
ty of the data.
In the protocol selection task, the CSP will design and conduct experiments to identify
and verify specialty dependent session protocols.
(S/NF) A successful conclusion of this topic will be a set of laboratory and task-specific operations-
tested protocols.
1.1.5
(U) Analysis
(S/NF) Having constructed a complete AC- data collection session (i.e., receiver, target, and proto-
col), the next important topic is data analysis. The kind of analysis required depends upon a posteriori
knowledge of the intended target. In the laboratory, all the possible targets, including the intended one,
are known in detail, thus enabling a detailed analysis. Yet in operations, only partial or little informa-
tion about the target is known.
(S/NF) The solution to the analysis problem is conceptually simple; all that is needed is an analytical
definition of the target and response, and a way of comparing the two. The AC response usually consists
of a form of natural language (i.e., written and drawn material); however, a quantitative definition of
natural language
is currently one of the unsolved problems of artificial intelligence (AI).
Similarly, a
A Long-Term, Integrated, Basic and Applied Research Plan (U)
/QJJWvEd For Release 2000/(S/5P8JHdjMM4HH|9R0031 00060001-1