PSYCHICAL RESEARCH

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: STARGATE
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79-00999A000200010067-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 4, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 9, 2014
• Sequence Number: 67
• Publication Date: August 2, 1973
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/01/09: CIA-RDP79-00999A000200010067-2
CONFLITIn
OTS/CB Memo #73-76
2 August 1973
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: Psychical Research
1. The attached article was published this month in
Science. This article summarizes in a complete manner much
of the major past and current research areas and their
status. As indicated in the article, there has been and
continues to be a consideration fraction of the effort in
psychical research aimed at understanding the basic roots
of the phenomena, i.e. basic research, but that little
conclusive evidence and/or theories has resulted. The lack
of results from basic research oriented studies is caused
by the elusive nature of the evidence. Experiments are
not necessarily reproducible. Results vary with the
investigators, the subjects, the emotional situation, etc.
Given this situation of not even knowing what observations
to make or how to reproduce them once they are made, basic
research on the subject is likely to continue to be of
marginal significance. This is not to say that the ultimate
understanding and utility of the phenomena could not result
as a direct result of basic research. It is to say that
achieving a "break through" in knowledge at the fundamental
level in psychical research is such an ill defined task
that it should not be assumed that the probability of
achieving a break through is proportional to the effort or
funding applied. That is, we should not expect doubling
the funding and people will double the chances of achieving
a fundamental break through.
2. Since the funds that can be made available by us
for basic research are a small fraction of these now being
spent, why should we consider investigating these phenomena.
It is my opinion that the justification for more basic
research in psychical phenomena is not that we expect to
provide sufficient funds that we are over some threshold
of effort and produce the one key experiment or theory
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/01/09: CIA-RDP79-00999A000200010067-2
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which will unlock the ultimate theory. Rather our justi-
fication is that a small (compare to efforts underway)
efforts will keep us informed of fundamental advancements
in a timely manner. It may happen that our projects will
provide the key experiments or ideas but time is not a
reasonable primary goal for such investigations.
3. There is another aspect of psychical phenomena
which should be of interest to the Agency, that is the
applications. My view, parallels the thinking of the
Stanford Research Institute group. This view is that
psychical phenomena is assumed to exist. Now what are
its properties; its range, power, variation with individ-
uals. This view is a pragmatic one; finesse the question
of how or why. What can an gifted individual do and
document the ability. If this ability is of interest,
explore its limits, determine its characteristics under
useful conditions, etc. I believe that such an approach,
using gifted subjects,has already produced tantalizing
results.
4. I believe that the program psychical investigation
previously planned as Stanford Research Institute include
both aspects, the basic and applied of research. I feel
that a smilar program should be initiated again with a
like blend of goals. Sufficient evidence of the existence
and power of the phenomena has been accumulated for the
intelligence community to ignore it would be a mistake
which will be regretted.
Attachment:
Article
Kenneth A. Kress
OTS/CB
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/01/09: CIA-RDP79-00999A000200010067-2