TRIP REPORT, 23-25 JANUARY 1974 STANFORD RESEARCH INSTITUTE, PARANORMAL INVESTIGATIONS

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Body:  Approved For Release 2003/09/10:    -         787R00070b110009-6
 29 January 1974
 SUBJECT:     Trip Report, 23-25 January 1974
 Stanford Research Institute, Paranormal
 Investigations
 1?  I                                                Imet with
 Drs. Cox, Jones, Puthoff, and Targ of SRI for about eight
 hours on 24 January and three hours on 25 January to discuss
 procedures, tasks and guidelines and to reach contractual
 agreement on the one-year ($150K) effort.              Attached are
 annotated copies of the "tasks" and "guidelines" papers
 which provided a partial foundation for the discussions.
 This memorandum merely elucidates those documents as
 necessary and covers briefly such other matters and agree-
 ments or unresolved points as are appropriate for the
 record.
 2.   Contractual Agreement:   Both SRI's and OTS's con-
 tract officers were present for these portions of the discussions
 and the "proposed Work Statement" (also attached) was adopted
 as the contractual base with the following modifications:
 a.   Somewhat more flexibility in the
 apportionment of time was provided by inserting
 "approximately" before each of the percentiles
 listed under "basic research" on page 3.
 b.   Reporting procedures will call for
 brief written reports each month and two lengthy
 interim reports in May and September 1974, as
 well as a final report in. February 1975.
 SG1
 B
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 c.   All reports will contain accounts of
 technical progress and financial status for each
 of the two task areas--applied and basic research.
 d.   Following receipt of the two interim
 reports, the SRI investigators will visit D.C. for
 conferences on achievements and plans and, possibly,
 for presentations to a broader sponsor audience.
 It was also agreed that SRI's reports should be UNCLASSIFIED
 rather than SECRET and this change in the contract draft will
 be adopted once                informs the OTS contracts officer
 that he has obtained ORD/PRB approval, if necessary.- NOTE:  It
 was separately agreed between              and                that
 they should visit the SRI site at the very least at the mid-
 points between SRI reports  [i.e., April, July and November],
 thus providing for at least five detailed conferences during
 the project year.)
 3.   Guidelines:   (See Attached Memorandum)   The guidelines
 were adopted with the following modifications and clarifica-
 tions:
 a.   The data control restrictions (para.  2)
 do not apply to cleared SRI personnel and con-
 sultants essential for supporting special phases
 of research (e.g., medical, sensory, behavioral
 and neurophysiological testing).
 b.   The explicit addition of
 to the  (para.  3)  list of "authorized" sponsor
 personnel.
 c.   There were several lengthy discussions
 in which we tried to clarify the need for and
 intent of language relating to "authorized
 personnel" --   stressing the practical advantages
 and the bureaucratic necessities, as well as the
 confusion which characterize earlier efforts
 largely because such controls were not observed.
 SG1I
 SG1I
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 We stressed in a number of ways (and it seems
 that SRI finally understood)            that these were not
 discriminatory measures aimed at putting-down
 any individuals or at precluding contacts which
 SRI felt were essential; SRI could, naturally,
 continue to relate to other sponsor personnel on
 paranormal theory or on other aspects reflecting
 legitimate sponsor interest and functions--they
 simply would not talk to unauthorized sponsor
 personnel about this project without first obtain-
 ing the approval of the project officer.
 d.   With respect to "other sponsorship" it
 was noted that the contract specified we were
 buying only 75% of the time of SRI's paranormal
 investigators and that, in fact, SRI now has two
 other contracts in this field:
 SGFOIA2
 SG1D
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 e.   Three other security aspects were
 discussed:
 - The possibility of clearing at least
 some of the "superstars" such as Pat Price,
 thereby making for easier handling and more
 security;              will look into the advis-
 ability of this course;
 f.   With respect to publication of data, SRI
 mentioned "Nature's" invitation (see editorial,
 attached) to publish the results of recent research
 and showed us an early draft of an article they intend
 to submit--focussing largely on the Price OOB work; we
 will see the final draft before they sent it to "Nature".
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 4.   Tasks:   (See attached outline.)   The "A" and "B"
 annotations on the attached indicate tasks to be "implemented"
 and those to be "considered," respectively.   SRI will have to
 consult a number of its own specialists to determine exactly
 what devices/instrumentation are available and there might be
 some further modification as a consequence -- but, it was
 clearly agreed that, to the extent possible, all the indicated
 tests should be undertaken and that, in addition, other useful
 possibilities should be explored.   SRI was quite receptive to
 the whole thrust and intent of the basic research tasks -- all
 of which will be reported on separately in the monthly and interim
 reports.   Noteworthy comments on the "tasks" are as follows:
 a.   Our                        will also handle the
 Handwriting sE_
 and, i  possible, all of the
 "In-Depth Interview" exce t fo ~_f he medical and
 psychiatric portions.                  will discuss this         SG1I
 portion might be omitted.
 b.   The Part I testing of the subjects will be
 done concurrent with the applied research (i.e., not
 delayed until later in the year) and, while all the
 tests will be employed at the outset, it is hoped that
 by mid-year there might be sufficient evidence to
 permit greater focus.   The Part II testing (neurophysio-
 logical correlates) will be done as appropriate during
 the course of the applied research and these results will
 be integrated with the medical, sensory and behavioral
 tests in an attempt to find cues for focus.
 c.   SRI bought the "referee" concept and might
 use their blue-ribbon panel for this purpose; but Otis
 and Pineo will not be used (there is a serious personality
 clash with regards to Otis).
 d.   An additional guideline, to the effect that
 the investigators would not take part in the experi-
 ments  (e.g., as "senders," etc.) was agreed upon; in
 particular with respect to one possible subject (I-Iella
 HAMID), however, Targ might be used one time to establish
 a baseline -- but such data should be identified and
 handled separately.
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 e.   As for the subjects, it was tentatively
 agreed that there would be three "superstars"
 (probably: PRICE, SWAN and a thrid yet to be
 identified -- possibly I-IAMID or ELGIN), three
 run-of-the-mill psychics and three controls
 (not to include any of the research team).
 f.   It was agreed that the sponsor might try
 to provide some of the testing gear (e.g., the
 gradiometer I         I will check] and polygra h
 wi    c ec                                   p
 g.   As for the self-inventory check-list
 to be filled out by the subjects on the morning
 of each test day, we agreed to ask               if
 he had or knew of any existing instrument that might
 serve.
 SG1I
 SG1I
 SG1I
 Attachments
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