Approved For Release 2000/S££R££rDP96-00789R002200440001-9
GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED RESEARCH
IN PSYCHOENERGETICS
(S)
Prepared By:
February 1989
SGI J
SECRET
Approved For Release 2000/08/08
: CIA-RDP96-00789R002200440001 -9
Approved For Release 2000/JppgpCpfRDP96-00789R002200440001-9
SUMMARY (U)
(S/NF)
Since
1972,
the Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA)
and various
elements of the Department
of Defense
(DoD)
have participated
in
psychoenergetics research.
During this
time almost
11 million dollars
were
spent.
This
is an average of nearly 600,000 per year.
While
this
points
out
the magnitude of
the research effort,
it
is also
important
to
note
that
this was not
a single
sponsor program,
rather,
there were
several programs,
funded by
a variety of
funders,
some
lasting only
a few
months.
Although
it was noted
in the early seventies,
a basic dichotomy
of effort plagued the program for many years.
It was apparent
that much
basic research was needed before applications
of
the phenomena would be
possible.
However,
the
sponsors had no charter
to
do basic research and
hence pursued
the application aspects
of
the program.
(S/NF) During their
short participation the CIA attempted
to utilize
remote viewing
(RV)
to collect operational
level
intelligence.
The
Defense Intelligence Agency
(DIA)
also pursued that goal,
but additionally
looked at countermeasures and
some aspects of psychokinesis.
The Foreign
Technology Division
(FTD)
initiated research that would assist them with
providing
a threat assessment
of foreign psychoenergetics research.
The
Navy had a short participation early
in
the program also,
but
looked only
for physiological markers during psychoenerget ic functioning.
Several Army
elements were
involved
in the research.
Again,
applications were
stressed
until
1986 when Army provided funds
for
some basic
R&D.
(S/NF)
The psychoenergetics research sponsored by
the CIA and DoD
elements was conducted almost exclusively at
SRI
International.
The
reasons
for this were
twofold.
First,
when funding averages just about
600,000 per year
it
is difficult
to parcel
it
out
to several different
laboratories.
Additionally,
there are only a few labs doing
state-of-the-art research.
Late
in
the program an attempt was made
to
sub-contract
some of
the work,
but was not
very successful.
(S/NF)
As
one
looks over
the research experiments done
since 1972
it
is apparent
the emphasis was placed on making RV an operationally useful
tool.
Projects aimed at various aspects
of
this goal were carried
out.
Much effort was placed
on screening and selection
to find people with
ii
SECRET
Approved For Release 2000/08/08
: CIA-RDP96-00789R002200440001-9
Approved For Release 2000/5pgRCffRDP96-00789R002200440001-9
(S/NF)
natural
talent
for
RV,
Training people
to improve their ability was
tried.
Ways
to
increase
the
signal and decrease
the noise were
looked
at.
Support activities were also researched,
these
included such things
as
evaluating results,
the role of feedback and ways
to direct
the viewer
to
the target
.
(S/NF)
As the project draws
to a conclusion some overall evaluation
of all
the research should be made.
To that
end,
the staff
at
SRI
International
is preparing
a meta-analysis
of each research
topic.
In
general,
it can be said
that
the researchers worked hard,
were honest
and
always gave their best
effort.
The quality of the work,
however,
varied
from excellent
to poor.
This
should not
be surprising as
in any new field
of scientific research many mistakes are made.
So,
rather
than
looking
back we should look
at
the quality of
the research going on now.
It
is
creditable and the SRI research greatly exceeds
the work on
psychoenergetics being done
at other
laboratories.
(S/NF) Perhaps
the most
important aspect
that needs
to be
looked
at
is,
"where are we now?"
It
is
immediately apparent
that we are now much
further along than we were
15 years
ago.
The crux
is
that,
currently we
are not
at
a point where complete and accurate descriptions
of any and
every operational target
is possible.
It appears we are many years away
from being able
to do
that.
Target descriptions by remote viewers
still
contain
a considerable amount
of incorrect data and
some good data.
Over
the years
the research has made
inroads
toward increasing
the proportion
of good data.
Does
this mean that we
should abandon
the research or
the
goal
of making
it
an intelligence collection
tool?
I
think not.
(S/NF)
So,
where do we go from here?
Two things must
be
done.
The
first
is
that we need
to curtail applications research and
increase basic
research
to gain a better understanding of phenomena and
of
the variables
that
affect
it.
Then
it must be honed
to
a
fine edge and applied
to those
areas
of
intelligence
that
are particularly susceptible
to the application
of
RV.
In addition,
we need
to
stop thinking of RV as
a methodology
for
complete descriptions
of everything.
In any RV
it
is conceivable
that
most of
the data may be wrong,
but
if
one tangible facet
is correct and
this propels the analyst
into
a better understanding of whatever he
is
seeking,
then
it must
be labeled a successful
effort.
There has already
SG1A
iii
SG1A
SECRET
Approved For Release 2000/08/08
: CIA-RDP96-00789R002200440001-9
Approved For Release 2000/^€R¥^DP96 -00789R002200440001 -9
(S/NF)
Based on that
^^°rm^^^r^th^analys^^exp^rec^tha^poss^}^^^^^ind found that
,
that
was exactly what happened.
Again,
all
the other data
in the viewer's
description could have been incorrect,
but
the session would have
to be
rated as extremely successful.
SG1A
iv
SECRET
Approved For Release 2000/08/08
: CIA-RDP96-00789R002200440001-9
-
Approved For Release 2000/0^^^y|-RDP96-00789R002200440001-9
md
-
TABLE OF CONTENTS (U)
SUMMARY (U)
LIST OF FIGURES (U)
.
.
ii
LIST OF TABLES (U)
.
Vll
mi
PREFACE (U)
viii
I
SECTION
1. THE EARLY YEARS—CIA (U)
.
viiii
i
mi
II
SECTION 2. THE SERVICE YEARS—ARMY, NAVY, AIR FORCE (S/NF)
A.
Navy (S/NF)
. 7
n
B.
Air Force (S/NF)
.
/
G
C.
Army (S/NF)
>
.
y
0 S
-
III
SECTION
3.
EARLY DIA SUPPORT (S/NF)
2*3
-
IV
SECTION 4. THE JOINT SERVICE PROGRAM (U)
A.
FY 1981 (U)
0 (L
B.
FY 1982 (U)
jO
C.
FY 1983 (U)
A S
-
V
SECTION
5. THE GRILL FLAME EVALUATION (S/NF)
A.
Training (U)
CD
B.
Remote Viewing Enhancement (U)
.
.
.
J V
so
mm
C.
Search (U)
C A
D.
Evaluation (U)
j u
Cf)
mm
E.
Data Base Management (U)
3 U
so
F.
Countermeasures (U)
3 U
so
mrn
G.
Foreign Psychoenergetics Research (U)
3 U
VI
THE FOLLOW-ON PROGRAM (U)
mm
A.
FY 1984 (U)
3 A*
SO
B.
FY 1985
(U)
JZ
CO
md
mi
mA
V
Approved For Release 2000/?8^:^^RDP96-00789R002200440001-9