(ESTIMATED PUB DATE) POSSIBLE FALLIBILITY OF POLYGRAPH TESTING OF SUBJECTS IN POSTHYPNOTIC STATES

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00140400
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: September 25, 2024
• Document Release Date: October 4, 1999
• Publication Date: January 1, 1952

Th
* 170Bai21s 44,thility.criFoIn.-mph. Testing of jecte in Posthypnotic :ltates
;�.. r-. "
Source is
1 4'
*e 1.
=
er a prordnont peythiatric clinic nnd roeearch
Xoundation-. now roethods of psythocneeis and peychotharapy-havp bean developed,
rce has --eviously zubr:ittod a revert entitled-� t �
under- source,
,
; t.. � � .
1. Q. al the basis of your. lenowlodge of .hypnolocy, do Tau think. 'that it wolad be
poasible to indsco�a y)csttvpriotie state on a subject in such a way. that. his.rv- �
actions. to: poly.aph test4..74,. would...be rti cri ficantly,.,41t4red7
: � , � �
.7 . A. 7-17 orrhsad, opinion is that. this would be quite possildo. � of. course it would �,.
'����'; be vary ei;lla to condl.to-t, oxporizonio coulrl der.initoly trocicle this question
;
=a way or. another, but. t.he �a...;�=3:7.pLion that such �cmperiments hare not yet he= �
.1 carried:out I should. like, to ,cpTiszent. � brierly poo to; be
� �
� AS-I understand it4 the poZygraph.measurea unconscious physical reactions to the
I � sti=li or-tha.=tal disturbances ctuaood by the telling .or deliberate lies. �
.
I .
1, Thorerorep;it yould appoar poosible .that, a oulajoct could posnibly ovoid thczo
: ections�ir he wore inter:rousted wh...1a3 in aipostlayirrotic etztto�ar-4�:..bas cstablizh
hie innocence for sons inm-irdnating acto�or,associationo.' This e....r;ht�be
by* the irZuct.i.en of posthyrzotic a-ma:.-.ia :or the incriminatirz epizodc.s .and the
substitution. er.an alibi situation-by the ostabliolz.lont of talze
=der vords, �the subject would be convinced that be Imo actuAlly telling the .truth
anJ would not hare the pc.7ehosonatic disturbanr_os necoczary for a pal,vg,raph
�
" action. -In:addition' ta this, coal:Seto arr.onin or the b�yilnotic5a?itoli cr...-n be
'� effected and an arfectivo defense czn be stet up szainet, rehypnctiz-mtion by a:lot-bor.
kgpnotist.',�Furtherviora, � the subject so rer..cticrls to other craestione,umd.in.tasting
the ,pe.Iygrasils� ty' of a -crabjoct would -probably be normalw., . ' � . : ' .
I.4� � �: �-$1��� z�L',- ' � �� -� � ��� r� .."��� ! " � ' ��7!:".*
�- n
1 4, (CCIUCtiOrt .5 � Iri addition, to the octs reportod ato-re, ssurcr. stk-r,ested
and supplied refcrance.natarial whieli-ht7felt.:,zizht provide come back.;-.round irfcrr-
tier; on this subject.. A brief review or sone of this .3.itcratura vas :=Iertahon by
the collector and the � carsacnts listed below were abs-trected. fathouzh thcy often � , � ,-
,�:.�.��
;,11,:t-t:.iittp-rort soiree's opinions, thoy are by no veal= directly attributable LS; nor can
.! �.
11.% the ooze) 711i or.s. reached be censtrued.ao .bea..-.1r.,7 his andore=ant.:��Ahrier:rericw of
�rer-ont volures of Abstrata -(Abstracta) (later than 1,950) revealed no
describing cope-rim:Intr. involving posthypnotic behavior in- relaticn- to the
����%-;:;�'�' rzc.hine. ;..7.'harert)ro the follrming coma:Its include other references :which
-
�:"47-i���: the collector .considcra as possibly e..ppli.cable to tho .z; r ��� � . ** )
�
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:!1'�����. a. The Nature or the Posthy7letie E117.2.% Btate � In the first, place, there btill
. ,..
to be a crat doal of corLfusiou about the actual nature of the posthypnotic
_;..,.... state itself and about the aoope or in.fluonco of .-tho operator in the subject TO-
's..:. actions when =aka.. . These questionelwara cited by 11=7�042-3e or..14Dna 71-131,11d UlliyarsitY,
� -!1' -.J. who points out that, they. have, plocNed�investigateralor�rziny.years and have re=i7ed. ,
, Lk , �:. no clarity in interpretation. lie cocs. on to say that perhaps oven =re coZr_x is .
�
the question as to�hoir a subject responds to the fact that he is be_havins in a uzy.
: z-,.���
!.:..Y. . which is different fro:III:is usual. I:e1:ay-10.r. (1) . He wr�p1air-1 that t�r! 'Posth�Tc�notic
....s, � �
- .
-
%..... ::
� �1�:":' ��
411
,
� . .
not will often hnvt in it rn nn;loct of rercnrzInco as to Lho sw:,&estion given in
-t:�-..the trance" but he stalls, "Or course, sow phenomna of a pooti*Tnctic nature, ouch
� k..as hallucinatory experiencevnay bo aoccpted by Lilo aubject an bcin; of unriuontion-
1, able systh=ticity.' �'- �
� � � � � �
b. itypnosis Antisocial Conduct � Les-pito an active conirerorey on the :subject,
there is mach evidmiaa that 17)�pnotiert can induce saltisecial lehavieri, (2) In this
carrtection it ehould be brcu3ht out that Duch ct3 cz.-1 bo aecerrcliabcd in the.. bypncftic poet,-
state with no st--zil..4 _rent .1clowledr.,e. or feeling cn the rz.it of%the Dubjeet.
So TC ral =71 r irant 13 linvo that cuch "subjects handled pecu.Lif,ritice 5.n +.1:oir
pU.cactivities by accepting then az cen,-;-reus aepecte of' their balm-tier.
7.�,�rf...4,t... (3) such �acceptance" Or to antisocial act or lying zicht yoUpreclue4 arri physical
-;1:,!-I.r.,t.;rtsactionsi %Lich would be Eeasurable by the 'poly�-japh...� -,� - ��: �:
,
mperinarrts with the hyr.-..lotic and post-hypnotic proctuctien of antieocial behavior,
14 atterpte arc often rade by c�xperimaecre .to break the induced state of pcethypnotic
f.���
-� amnesia eoeral days after the cozperf.-�-teatalantieeciel act or acts have been connittod
by the rubject. The accusations troui.,Irt out in thane intarregations usually areueo �
� ..�.
esparentl,y richtecres indignation or disbelief on the part of the fir,uilty'l subject.
In one euch e..;norirunt a young rer.ale subject bad bean induced under hypucc_is to
� retney frosi the pocket or a etre...Icel.-1z ccat arta: awakening from her trace. �
(14) She VW td.yen posthypnotic asnesia for the soe.ree of the compulsion. She stole
!.. 4_-2,,,�'t.:.e..dorier' and later sAnt it. i'than cenl�rentod with the fasts several e.ays later
did net-,:beliare thei.. :On the basof horr.reinetiena��the o-f_periment.or reported!.
� 7ic�i';�!' �
as follows' wilese cear-ente are incluC.cd to indicate the difficulties a cross-
! err.ardner would nact in atta7...pting to wring a ct.r.forsion fres. hypnotic
:�'-?!it.;���* subject. lase A's ir.nnor tetrayed not. the rubtlest ovidence or consoio-asaeso of
Guilt. I c.tnnot zny, or course, what ri./;,�ht have boon her reaction to a lie-detector
.� �
or thiord-jeGreo rEtbodn."
Cubeoquently this er.,bject we esain b:rpnot,ised and her amnesia for the incidmt
y,-;�",;;Tr.,remored. "Mier, A was then asked whether the thought the could in hyirnozie be.
induced to con7it here zericue crirrs--such as to steal important covr_r:reant,
�,'1,:\'''.;f�,'4"j:. papers were rho a pet rotary in Waehintcn, .� She paid, lie, I .think .
� .,..i..!����
held to this _belief both in the trance �ti.d. a ,e1. . crr states
� ..tti'-������� �
� � � _ �. � � � .- � �
g.I. c. Training and Tostir.r.; �.in case post.hy7netic compulsion wore utilised in an att-47:pt
��� to circument lie detection, the necessarily complete control orer the.i.7ost.lrfpnotic
behavior of a subject would rcguire a period of intensive trainino an;.: tent.inr.
�� 4.1
babj vets very Kidoly in the hypilet,izability. In other words, one person rli-fht show
little resit:tenet to trance induction but the eperAtor r.1,4�.;11t rilld that, be
j� would show a great deal rem recistaneo to Uuion creation or to or,o or mere or
tho etanthrd critoria for reesurin!; tho depth of hyr�neeis. (Such criteria J.:zit:en (1)
,�
tP�.i Ir-pnetie analgesia to pninful stirruli, (2) mired offnctory hallucinations, .(3) ar,e
� � reprezeibn central, (4) roethyrnotie amnezia., (5) ability to enry out ponthymotic
:! �� � � ruGr.,estions end the rtr:A.L1 .1.r.ction of trznee throucji r.n unrol.olcd rost1:7Tnoido
V.'';.:�-� �
��� anal. (5) A3 pointed cut, "To achieve the Lest, reaulte, one Tau:-,t.,
� the �itivir.b.1.21.�-cLarecterist,ics of each subject. (6) ThrouL;h patient, e:1:-Ientatlon
11.F,S.''Z� I:.� with devi razz-ostlers: ur.,od to =crlt the peinte or resistance, ..1�07.1 deep .s..
A
I NI.
I �
Nxr,
: 7 ��� �
fr
-
.c01
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. hypnosis con usually I.*. chl.,ri..1110(1 in a -AU rrabioct. 1t 1.cul:1 the:: Lc poo:;11;10
prodict t.c cfrecto which the r-Lbject'sc peculiar personality a.11d h-,,T.notiz-
,. ability ch2,..ractcriatics ;rill play in Ulla posthypnotic statc. 'fhe ultizato zoal of
". � the training would be the creation of a state of laypnot �Llability wheroby the cperat
couLl rapidly i_rxlacto a posthypnotic state in which tho c..11./.1cct .ou4 have no =.7..
cm-Lemtcue knowlitdce or rc,:=7 of his incririnating activitiee or ce7;noctior.s.
i����.
In addition to tho alx:ve coal) it 1.-culd Iv also pos.siblc to inc e tho rubjcct
a facility for crJtohyrsioz4.3. Ie(�reni cf Los Irc1o3ptttod,thAt it is
di1ficu.2.t to hypnotize onnself at all deeply unless a pest 117,1m:tic suL-L-c.stion has
betrn given during hetcro-induced hypnosis to tho eficct that the person can thore,
after hypno 1
tise .11=0.M.." 47)
.. � d. Detection of Posthy-Alotie :;tato by Polygraph � As far az po1,7-,�Tep.�h dotectien - i' �
�
-,,!.!�-�4'...-of the post hypotic stato itsolf is concerned, this scene un1L:ely in tllo lic-,;-It or
i� :
' the negative arld inconc.lusive rosuliti of ezTerirx.nts conductod by True and ftephczloon
mr�
which corrolatod oloctrocmcophalog.an, puloo Lad p1L---..ter reflexcz in lqpnoolo with ase '
��,..,�i -
,i'i- � regression and induced c.=ticzal states. (8).
� � � � � � � � � . � � r � � , � "1' � � � " ' � � � � �� � � ' ' � I � ; � � � � � � � �� . � -�'� � � , 1��;;:���'�..
�
,4c.:.!.i.,�.'.' (1) . Ouse) limry. "Posthypnotic Behavior and Feroonality," Personality, Vol. 1, -
, no. 3, NOY. 1$541 PQ.U0 232�
'I
trx ',:2-..� i -.. - . t : � , . '� � 1 e. � .i:.;� :, .. � .. . i - � .' .. - - � 4: ., '�.:' ' ' ' ...,' � � ' . *0 ��� � -4, :,...%. � � .
� �. � �
� : .?' (2) rstabrool:s/ 0.11.1 011-vo Possible Antisocial Use of Itypnetis-4," l'E1'..7.)11ALITY0
'Vol." 1, '110e '3, Ncrr 3951,-pac,c 294-229. ' . ''' ....-�'. .� - . ' . '" - ' �
� e'''� (3) Cluecy op cit p-acc 236.
1-,-� �
04 1n
rre ran, Karr:at-et) "Eze-crirentsin thc 111-notic Pmlucticn of JuitiacciJ.:Lad
Lelf-Injuricus Lohavior," rirulaY., Vol 3, o 1, Fob.42, pp 90-51. �
� . �
(5):Ttucl'nobert Y. and'Stephmoons Charles 11., Controlled Tallerirr_nts 0orrelatine
Elcetroc=Thalocra.-a) P'ulso and Planter F.eflmess with Hypnotic Ace Loc.:re:if= ...
'54.h.Ts,
end Z-Idncod Eta:tic:nal:State:4i". Pli.:ZOI1ALITI, vol. 1, no 3) Nov 511 pace 223. �
,
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� (6) Bromsn7t,..orp city pace
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�Leercm, Icalie "A Etudy of the 11717110Tr....ABILITI
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� � . � vo.4.1) is;o 31 nor .51.tpao 303.. ,
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True and Stephenson) op eit pp 252-262
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