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2.
(U)
Targeting
(S/NF)
Targeting
is
a
general term
to
describe
the method by which
a viewer
is
directed
to the intended
target.
Common techniques
that have been employed
include the
following:
(1)
Beacon— an individual
at the
site of the intended target.
(2)
Coordinates—the
geographical
or
military coordinates
of the intended
target.
(3)
Abstract— a
word
or
phrase
(e.g., “target”)
or
other
abstract
representation of the intended target.
(4)
Self—none of the above, the viewer initiates the collection of data.
We examined these techniques in order to determine which provides the best access to a remote
target.
(S/NF)
For
these
four
targeting
techniques,
183
trials
were
identified—the
remainder,
13 trials, were listed as “unknown” targeting. The effect size for viewings initiated by
these
targeting techniques was
0.401,
leading to
a p
value
of 2.92 x
10~ 8
.
Thus,
there
is
significant
evidence
for
remote
viewing
functioning.
The
between-groups
chi-square
is
significant
(X2 = 12.58,
v =
3; p < 0.0058), indicating that the effect sizes resulting from these
targeting techniques are not drawn from the same population.
(S/NF)
It
is
difficult,
however,
to
attribute the
significant differences
to targeting
techniques alone.
In none of the experiments could the targeting technique be used as a valid
independent variable, because, in all cases, the viewers and experimenters were not blind to the
targeting condition.
Thus,
it is possible, even likely, that the viewers’ scientific or emotional bias
toward one technique or another confounds the interpretation.
Other factors, such as feedback
time
and
type,
or
potential
physics
models
of
information
transfer,
also
confound
the
interpretation.
(S/NF)
Given these caveats, beacon targeting appears to provide the best and most
stable results
(n =
66,
z = 5.305, p <
5.65 X
10" 8
, d = 0.653J.
3,
(U)
Evaluation and Analysis
(U) The
evaluation and
analysis of remote viewing data has undergone
significant
improvement during our
16 years
of investigation.
Beginning
as
a
simple blind matching by
judges, the techniques have been improved by the addition of concept analysis (the paraphrasing
of a complex response), discrete descriptor analysis (defining targets and response as the yes/no
answers to
a predetermined
set of descriptors), and fuzzy
set descriptors
(defining targets and
responses as fuzzy
sets).
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(S/NF)
The
fuzzy
set technique has
also been
applied
to
intelligence
simulation
experiments and found to provide a useful estimate of remote viewing accuracy
(the percent of
the
intended
target
that was
described
correctly)
and
viewer
reliability
(the percent
of the
viewer’s response that was correct).
(S/NF)
For
rapid
evaluation
of
laboratory
experiments,
rank-order
judging
of
targets within preselected
(i.e., by fuzzy
set techniques)
target packets
is recommended.
For
more
accurate
measures
of remote
viewing
ability,
however,
the
full
fuzzy
set
analysis
is
suggested. Determining whether the fuzzy set technique can be applied to intelligence situations is
a topic for further investigation.
4.
(U)
Training
(S/NF)
Six
training
efforts
were
conducted
during
the
time
period
under
consideration; three were qualitative and three were quantitative.
There is no overall quantitative
evidence that remote viewing can be taught to novice viewers.
Of the qualitative efforts, two were
conducted with
client personnel
as viewers, and one was conducted with SRI personnel.
All
three showed some qualitative evidence, however, that training improves remote viewing
skill.
(S/NF)
Quantitative experiments were conducted with
18 novice viewers
in three
separate experiments comprising 481
trials.
In the
first group, the novices were self-selected on
the basis of strong interest and previous personal experiences.
None had participated
in prior
laboratory experiments.
The six viewers in this group produced overall significant evidence for
remote viewing
(n =
169,
z =
1.719, p < 0.043, d = 0.132).
None of the viewers, however,
individually
or
collectively demonstrated
significant evidence
that
training
helps
a
viewer
to
improve.
(S/NF)
The
second
group
of
viewers
was
selected
because
the
Personality
Assessment System predicted that they would
exhibit
a wide range
of remote viewing
ability.
Overall,
their data did not reach
statistical significance
(
n
= 221,
z = -0.971, p < 0.834,
d = -0.065).
While the best viewer produced an effect size of 0.170, none of the viewers’ data
reached statistical significance.
None of these viewers individually or collectively demonstrated
significant evidence that training helps a viewer to improve.
(S/NF)
In
the
third
group
of
novice
viewers,
one
demonstrated
significant
evidence
for improvement
(
n
= 26,
z =
3.01, p < 0.0013, d = 0.590).
(S/NF)
While significant evidence
for remote viewing has been observed, whether
training can improve remote viewing skill has yet to be substantiated quantitatively.
It is possible
that knowledge has not yet advanced to the point where we know how to train.
Since the data
from viewers in group G1 have remained stable over time, we conclude that simple practice does
not appear to improve performance.
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(S/NF)
SRI recommends
that
investigations
into
training be
continued.
In
the
meantime, good viewers are more easily found than trained.
5.
(U)
Role of Feedback
(U) Feedback
is defined as providing the viewer with information about the intended
target after a remote viewing experiment.
Very few experiments were devised to test the role of
feedback in determining remote viewing quality.
In the early phases of the project, the primary
objective was to provide as good a result as possible, and since feedback appeared not to hinder
remote viewing, most of the early sessions always included
it in one form or another.
(S/NF)
The strongest evidence about the
role of feedback
is provided by the FY
1987
tachistoscope
experiment.
In
that
study,
subliminal
or minimal
visual
feedback was
provided to the viewers.
Two of the four viewers produced independent evidence
for remote
viewing ability
(n = 40;
z = 2.30, p < 0.012, d = 0.363, and
z = 4.43, p < 4.78 X
10' 6
,
d = 0.700, respectively).
Neither of these viewers showed any dependency upon the intensity of
the visual feedback, including zero intensity
(i.e., no feedback
at
all).
(S/NF)
The
question
of the
role
of feedback was examined
for group Gl.
We
examined feedback time
(i.e., the time duration after a session before feedback was provided),
and feedback type
(e.g., site, false site, verbal, visual). We found that there were substantial and
significant differences among the various feedback times and among the various feedback types.
(S/NF)
To
interpret
these
differences
with
regard
to feedback
is
difficult.
For
example, the significant difference between a 1-hour delay compared to a 5-minute delay may
result from the fact that most of the 5—minute delay feedback intervals occurred in experiments
in which photographs were used as targets.
Since the longer delay occurred in experiments that
used beacons and natural sites as targets, one interpretation
is that the observed differences are
attributable to target type rather than feedback interval.
(S/NF) A similar problem
arises in the feedback type category.
One
clear
result,
however, does emerge.
The effect sizes for feedback of natural sites {d = 0.734)
is significantly
larger than for feedback of the incorrect natural site (d = -0.137. X2 = 4.55,
v =
1 ; p < 0.042).
Giving false feedback appears to inhibit remote viewing.
(S/NF) A recent study indicates that feedback in remote viewing experiments
is not
essential. 7
This
result
is
in
qualitative agreement
with
the
findings from
our tachistoscope
experiment.
In forced-choice experiments, however, Honorton found that the role of feedback
in the precognition experiments was
critical. 8
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(S/NF)
While the quantitative
results are mixed, viewers indicate that feedback
is
psychologically important. We conclude, therefore, that feedback should be provided whenever
possible.
6.
(U)
Effect of Distance
(S/NF)
We
examined
the
effect
of
distance
on
the
quality
of remote
viewing.
Distances were divided into four ranges: <
1 km, < 50 km, < 5000 km, and > 5000 km.
For the
group G1 , there was no effect of distance on the quality of remote viewing (X2 = 3.56,
v = 2;
p < 0.167).
It
is possible
to be
definitive about
this particular
result since
all confounding
variables tend to increase the chi-square rather than decrease
it.
7.
(U)
Effect of Size of Target
(S/NF)
Only one experiment has been conducted that directly addresses this issue.
Photographs were reduced to a spot size of approximately
1 mm in diameter.
One viewer from
group G1 produced significant results
(n =
6,
z = 2.10, p < 0.018, d = 0.857). We are able to
conclude that targets
1 mm
in diameter do not
inhibit remote viewing
quality.
No
data
are
available on targets of varying sizes.
8.
(U)
Physiological Correlates to Remote Viewing
(U)
In
the
field
in
general,
the
search
for
physiological
correlates has
not been
successful.
Early results indicated that an individual should be moderately relaxed and as free
from physiological stress as possible (e.g., headaches, bathroom demands).
These results are not
surprising
in that
it
is
likely that such a “physiological”
state would be optimal
for any human
activity.
(S/NF)
SRI has examined neurophysiological
correlates to remote viewing
in two
separate experiments.
Specifically, the central nervous system appears to respond to
a remote
light flash, and thus provides a correlate to remote viewing.
For the two experiments, a total of
four viewers
(all from group Gl) produced independent significant changes in a-production in
correlation with remote
light stimuli. 9
’ 10
(S/NF)
SRI recommends
that the
effort
to
isolate
particular parts
of the
central
nervous system that respond to remote stimuli be continued.
The potential
for screening and
training are significant.
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