OVERALL SUMMARY OF SRI STUDIES TO DATE
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Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST):
CIA-RDP96-00788R001200230039-3
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RIFPUB
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U
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2
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November 4, 2016
Document Release Date:
December 7, 1998
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39
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Approved For Release 2003/09/10 :.CIA-RDP96-00788 R001200230039-3
approximate the transcript :than would even Yankee Stadium, although no
effort was made to do so.
Overall Summary of SRI Studies to Date
It is recognized that many details, interpretations, and comments
regarding the SRI experiments would be lengthy and perhaps difficult to
comprehend, certainly impossible to present in a short report such as
this. However, several concluding statements appear warranted and justified.
These are as follows.
Positive characteristics.
1, A protocol has been developed within which apparently successful
remote viewing of local and long-distance targets has been demonstrated.
(The weaknesses of this protocol were discussed in the above evaluation.)
2. Many of the results, particularly the long-distance results,
are difficult to explain except by the'prese.nce of a paranormal, remote
viewing ability (or by use of uncontrolled experimental procedures).
3. The demonstrated remote viewing ability appears to be insensitive
to time and distance.
4. Real-time, movement-containing activities can apparently be seen
through this ability.
5. Untrained subjects can apparently demonstrate this ability and
improve with practice, often providing information as valid as that of
known "sensitives."
6. The remote viewing channel is apparently quite noisy. Concepts
of information theory pertinent to S/N improvement appear to apply to this
channel as well.
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Negative Characteristics.
1. Research reports are of behavioral data, yet are not presented
n,
with sufficient, rigorous experimental detail appropriate to behavioral
science publications and acceptable to behavioral scientists.
2. Conflicting, inaccurate reporting of experimental "facts"
detracts from the acceptability of the results.
3. Large methodological weaknesses in the local target and long-
distance U.S. target procedures provide alternate (i.e., non-paranormal)
possibilities of explanation.
Conclusions
There is little doubt that SRI has done much to cause reputable
scientists to accept the existence of the remote viewing phenomenon, yet
simultaneously to question the validity of all the results. The main
benefit of these studies has been to cause renewed attention to and
interest in this phenomenon, and to encourage the allocation of substan-
tial amounts of research monies to support future activities. Without
quesatJon, tlu, SI2I procedures must be replicated elsewhere to establish
f
unquestionable validity of the phenomenon.
Simultaneously, the procedures to be used must be improved upon and
modified to eliminate questions deriving from the existing protocol and
procedures. Mere replication of the current protocol, without elimination
of these methodological flaws, will provide no additional useful informa-
tion or results. Of primary importance in revision of this methodology
is the need to establish objective report accuracies, based upon target
elements rather than upon subjective matching. That is, an objective
evaluation of all responses is required, one which is not subject to
individual interpretation by judges or experimenters.
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