STANFORD RESEARCH INSTITUTE (SRI) INVESTIGATION INTO PARAPSYCHOLOGY

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP96-00787R000200090006-7
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
S
Document Page Count: 
2
Document Creation Date: 
November 4, 2016
Document Release Date: 
September 5, 2003
Sequence Number: 
6
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
February 4, 1976
Content Type: 
MFR
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PDF icon CIA-RDP96-00787R000200090006-7.pdf88.34 KB
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Approved For Release 2003/090BPJU DP96-00787R000200090006-7 OTS/CB Memo #76-18 4 February 1976 MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD SUBJECT: Stanford Research Institute (SRI) Investigation into Parapsychology 1. Attached is the final report describing several years of CIA (ORD F OTS) sponsored research in the area popularly referred to as parapsychology. I believe the SRI report will be a major benchmark in the field. Even with its flaws the investigation is the most complete, serious and scientific investigation into parapsychology in general and its national security implications in particular. The report establishes overwhelming scientific evidence for the existence of human perceptual capabilities which are as yet unexplained. The investigation, however, resulted in nothing which adds to the understanding of the mechanisms involved and little which increases the effective- ness of national security applications. The SRI investi- gation and internal CIAl-6 experiments do, nevertheless, indicate potential applications of the phenomenon to intel- ligence problems. For example, empirically useful techniques can probably be developed for those intelligence problems where noisy, flawed information can be used to limit known alternatives which subsequently can be verified. It is my opinion that an internal CIA program directed towards the above mentioned and similar intelligence requirements should be re-instated and continued within OTS. 2. Much interest has been generated by SRI's publications in technical journals this past year, and consequent progress is likely. The unclassified portion of the SRI investigation is to be published in the IEEE Proceedings in March 1976. The acceptance by this prestigi-'ous journal, is a significant indicator of interest in this field within the scientific community. Furthermore, a number of laboratories,7-9 in- cluing that of Dr. R. W. Lucky, Vice Chairman of the IEEE Publications Board and Division Director at Bell Laboratories, have successfully replicated the SRI remote viewing tasks. Approved For Release 200 - - A Approved For Release 200 R tlA-RDP96-00787R000200090006-7 Other groups such as the USIB's STIC study on "Emerging Areas of Science and Technology of Importance to National Security" have independently identified parapsychology as an area worthy of support. The Department of the Navy, the Office of Naval Research and Naval Electronics System Command have also independently decided to support SRI in extensions of the CIA sponsored investigations. Releasing the SRI data for publication has already stimu- lated additional investigations, and encouraged further research into understanding and controlling the phenomena involved. It is not premature for us to be now considering the analysis and application of intelligence desired from those techniques. SG1I OTS/CB Attachment: References Final Report Approved For Release 2003/092109 : CIA-RDP96-00787R000200090006-7