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Improving Human Performance: What About Parapsychology?

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Improving Human Performance: What About Parapsychology? Improving Human Performance: What About Parapsychology? The National Academy of Sciences was asked to evaluate techniques—including parapsychological ones—claimed to improve human performance. Here is a summary of the findings of the committee's landmark two-year study. Kendrick Frazier N 1984 the Army Research Institute asked the National Academy of Sciences to form a committee to examine the value of various techniques I claimed to improve human performance. Most of these techniques had been developed outside the mainstream of the human sciences and most made quite extraordinary claims. Many of them grew out of the human- potential movement of the 1960s. They included guided imagery, meditation, biofeedback, neurolinguistic programming, sleep learning, accelerated learn- ing, split-brain learning, and variety of techniques claimed to reduce stress and improve concentration. They Army was also interested in whether para- psychology had discovered helpful mental skills. Many of these claims were regularly publicized in the media and gained considerable acceptance from the public. The promoters of these claims used the language of science but for the most part were not trained in science. They did appeal to the basic human drive to improve performance, however, and the U.S. Army understandably has a great interest in any legitimate techniques that can make its troops and support personnel more effective. The Army asked the NAS committee to recommend general policy and criteria for future evaluation of enhancement techniques. The National Academy of Sciences is a private organization of the nation's most distin- guished scientists. It is officially chartered by Congress to provide scientific advice to the U.S. government. Through its operating branch, the National Research Council (NRC), it can call upon scientific experts nationwide to address issues and problems of interest to the government. Kendrick Frazier, a science writer, is the editor of the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER 34 THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 13 The NRC formed the Com- mittee on Techniques for the Enhancement of Human Per- formance, chaired by John A. Swets of Bolt Beranek and Newman, Inc., in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and consisting of Issues, Theories, and Techniques 13 members—psychologists, neurologists, training experts, and other scholars.' It also formed several subcommittees. The committee met with repre- sentatives of the Army, con- ducted site visits, commissioned ten analytical and survey papers, and examined state-of-the-art reviews of the relevant literature as well as unpublished docu- ments. The result is a valuable 299-page report, Enhancing Human Performance, of wide general interest and available to 2 the public. NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL It is a significant study, and an unusual one for the Academy, which only on rare occasions has been asked to evaluate claims residing along the fuzzy fringes of science. In fact, the section on paranormal phenomena may represent the first time the Academy has ever addressed this controversial and emotional subject. What follows is an overview of the report, a summary of its conclusions, and a summary of its longest section (the one that is perhaps of the most interest to readers of SI), on claims of paranormal phenomena. Techniques Evaluated The study quotes an estimate that American companies are spending $30 billion a year on formal courses and training programs for their employees. Even so, this is only the tip of the iceberg. The courses are actively promoted by entrepreneurs who probably realize there is a goldmine in selling self- improvement techniques. The results of the study provide answers to several questions on how best to improve human performance. There were some positive findings. It appears it may be possible to prime future learning by presenting material to a subject during certain stages of sleep (although not deep sleep). Learning can be improved by integrating certain instructional elements. Skilled performance can be improved through particular combinations of mental and physical practice. Stress can be reduced Fall 1988 35 by providing information to the subject that increases his or her sense of control. Group performance can be improved by using organizational cultures to transmit positive values. Nothing too surprising here. There were some negative findings. The committee found a lack of sup- porting evidence for such techniques as visual-training exercisers, hemispheric synchronization, and neurolinguistic programming. It found a lack of scientific justification for the parapsychological phenomena it examined. It found ambiguous evidence for the effectiveness of a suggestive accelerated learning package. Throughout its report, the committee emphasizes the importance of having adequate scientific evidence or compelling theoretical argument, or both, in support of any techniques proposed for consideration by the Army. And it comes down hard on the utility of testimonials as evidence: "Personal experi- ences and testimonials cited on behalf of a technique are not regarded as an acceptable alternative to rigorous scientific evidence. Even when they have high face validity, such personal beliefs are not trustworthy as evidence." Recent research on how people arrive at their beliefs "indicate that many sources of bias operate and that they can lead to personal knowledge that is invalid despite its often being associated with high levels of conviction." Some specific findings and conclusions: Learning During Sleep. The committee found no evidence to suggest that learning occurs during verified sleep. However, it found some evidence that waking perception and interpretation of verbal material could be enhanced by presenting the material during the lighter stages of sleep. Accelerated Learning. The committee found little scientific evidence that so-called superlearning programs derive their instructional benefits from elements outside mainstream research and methods. Effective instruction comes from quality teaching, practice, study, motivation, and matching of training to job demands. "Programs that integrate all these factors would be desirable." Improving Motor Skills. Motor skills can be improved by mental practice. Programs claiming to enhance cognitive and behavioral skills by visual con- centration have not been shown to be effective and are not worth further evaluation. The effects of biofeedback on skilled performance have yet to be determined. Altering Mental States. The committee was not able in the time allotted to evaluate self-induced hypnotic states or other techniques claimed to im- prove concentration and performance. It did review literature on brain hemispheres; this review "refutes claims that link differential use of the brain hemispheres to performance." The committee found no scientifically accept- able evidence to support claimed effects of techniques intended to integrate hemispheric activity. Attempts to increase information-processing capacity by presenting material separately to the two hemispheres do not appear to be useful. Stress Management. Stress is reduced by giving an individual as much knowledge and understanding as possible regarding expected events. Giving 36 THE SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, Vol. 13 Neurolinguistic Programming: No Evidence HE COMMITTEE found no evidence to support claims for the effective- Tness of neurolinguistic programming (NLP)—a widely touted system of procedures and models that purports to enable people to be more influential and better communicators. "In brief, the NLP system of eye, posture, tone, and language patterns as indexing representational patterns is not derived or derivable from known scientific work. Furthermore, there is no internal evidence or documentation to support the system. Overall there is little or no empirical evidence to date to support either NLP assumptions or NLP effectiveness. Different critics may attach different values to the quality of these studies [testing one or another aspect of NLP], but the fact remains that none supports the effective- ness of NLP in improving influence or skilled motor performance." the individual a sense of control is effective. Biofeedback can reduce muscle tension, but "it does not reduce stress effectively." Influence Strategies. "The committee finds no scientific evidence to support the claim that neurolinguistic programming is an effective strategy for exerting influence." (See box.) Parapsychology. "The committee finds no scientific justification from research conducted over a period of 130 years for the existence of parapsy- chological phenomena." This strongly worded conclusion is followed by the statement that "there is no reason for direct involvement by the Army at this time." The committee does recommend monitoring certain areas, such as the work being done in the Soviet Union and the "best work" in the United States. The latter includes research being carried out at Princeton University by Robert Jahn; at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn by Charles Honorton, now in Princeton; at San Antonio by Helmut Schmidt; and at SRI International by Edward May. It suggests site visits by both proponents and skeptics. As for future studies, it recommends that a common research protocol be agreed upon; that this protocol be used by "both proponents and skeptics" in any research they conduct; and that practical applications be looked for. Examination of Parapsychology The report's largest single section is devoted to an examination of para- psychological techniques and claims of
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