Within SRI Tests
How SRI Made Remote Viewing Testable
The SRI local target setup made remote viewing look testable, repeatable, and vulnerable to protocol design choices.
On this page
- How local target sessions were arranged
- Why the format became influential
- Where protocol design created weak points
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Introduction
The Stanford Research Institute (SRI) local target protocol was the experiment design that transformed remote viewing from a series of individual demonstrations into a repeatable laboratory procedure. Instead of asking participants to describe arbitrary hidden objects, SRI standardised how targets were chosen, how viewers were isolated from ordinary information, how responses were recorded, and how independent judges compared those responses with the actual locations. That format became the foundation for many later remote-viewing studies and government-sponsored programmes. It also became the focus of the strongest methodological criticism, because each stage of the protocol created opportunities either to strengthen or to weaken the credibility of the results.[CIA+2documentcloud.org]cia.govSTANDARD REMOTE-VIEWING PROTOCOL (LOCAL…The elements of the protocol, each of which is addressed below, consist of (1) target pool…
How local target sessions were arranged
The defining feature of the SRI local target protocol was the use of real locations within travelling distance of the laboratory rather than photographs or abstract symbols. On a typical trial, an experimenter selected one location from a pre-prepared pool of sites, while the remote viewer remained at SRI under conditions intended to prevent ordinary communication with the target.
The protocol described several distinct roles:
- A target pool containing numerous outdoor sites chosen before the experiment.
- An outbound experimenter, who travelled to the randomly selected location.
- A remote viewer, who stayed behind without knowing the destination.
- One or more judges, who later compared the viewer’s descriptions with the possible targets.[CIA]cia.govSTANDARD REMOTE-VIEWING PROTOCOL (LOCAL…The elements of the protocol, each of which is addressed below, consist of (1) target pool…
Rather than asking viewers to identify an address or landmark by name, SRI encouraged free-response descriptions. Participants produced sketches, impressions and verbal descriptions of shapes, terrain, structures, colours and other perceived features. The emphasis was on generating a detailed record before any feedback was available.
After the session, judges compared the transcript against the actual target and alternative sites from the target pool. Instead of scoring isolated details, judges assessed the overall correspondence between the description and each candidate location. This judging procedure became one of the signature features of remote-viewing research because it attempted to evaluate qualitative descriptions statistically rather than relying solely on dramatic anecdotes.[CIA]cia.govSTANDARD REMOTE-VIEWING PROTOCOL (LOCAL…The elements of the protocol, each of which is addressed below, consist of (1) target pool…
Why the local target format became influential
The local target protocol represented a practical compromise between laboratory control and realistic testing. Researchers believed outdoor locations offered richer visual characteristics than simple cards or symbols while remaining sufficiently manageable for repeated experiments.
Several features helped make the format widely copied:
- Standardisation. The same basic sequence—target selection, viewer isolation, transcript production and blind judging—could be repeated across many sessions.
- Archivable evidence. Written transcripts and drawings created a permanent record that could be examined later instead of relying on memory.
- Statistical evaluation. Multiple trials made it possible to analyse aggregate performance rather than highlighting only exceptional successes.
- Transferability. The framework could be adapted to military, academic and private research programmes with relatively small procedural changes.[CIA+2documentcloud.org]cia.govSTANDARD REMOTE-VIEWING PROTOCOL (LOCAL…The elements of the protocol, each of which is addressed below, consist of (1) target pool…
This structure influenced later government-funded remote-viewing work. Although subsequent programmes introduced additional methods such as coordinate remote viewing and extended remote viewing, the basic idea of separating the viewer from a hidden target and evaluating recorded descriptions against predefined targets remained recognisable.[National Security Archive]nsarchive2.gwu.eduDIA 21National Security ArchiveSUN STREAKNovember 5, 2015 — A NEW TRAINING PROGRAM BGAN IN COORDINATE REMOTE VIEWING (CRV),WITH SRI. ANSRI SUBC…
Where protocol design created weak points
Ironically, the same protocol that made remote viewing appear experimentally testable also exposed exactly where critics believed errors could occur.
Judging depended on interpretation
Remote-viewing transcripts were intentionally open-ended. A viewer might mention “water”, “metal”, “open space” or “tall structures”, descriptions that could plausibly fit multiple locations. Consequently, the judging stage required subjective assessment of overall similarity.
Supporters argued that experienced blind judges could reliably identify correct targets above chance. Critics responded that flexible interpretation increases the possibility of confirmation bias, particularly when descriptions contain many broadly applicable features.[ResearchGate]researchgate.net15839349 Information transmission in remote viewing experimentsInformation transmission in remote viewing experiments27 May 2016 — TARG AND PUTHOFF1-3 have described investigations of an e…
Sensory leakage became a central criticism
The most influential critique came from psychologists David Marks and Richard Kammann, who attempted to replicate the experiments before examining the original transcripts in detail.
They reported that some transcripts contained unintended clues unrelated to any alleged psychic ability. These included references revealing the chronological order of sessions, dates, comments about previous targets and other contextual information. According to their analysis, judges could sometimes infer the correct target from these accidental cues rather than from the descriptive content itself. When such cues were removed in later testing, they argued that performance fell to chance levels.[ResearchGate]researchgate.net15839349 Information transmission in remote viewing experimentsInformation transmission in remote viewing experiments27 May 2016 — TARG AND PUTHOFF1-3 have described investigations of an e…
This criticism shifted debate away from whether particular descriptions sounded impressive and towards whether experimental controls had successfully prevented all ordinary information transfer.
Target pools required careful design
Another methodological issue concerned the composition of the target pool itself. If candidate locations differed greatly—for example, a bridge, a beach, a shopping centre and a hilltop—matching could become easier than if all targets shared similar characteristics.
As a result, later researchers devoted increasing attention to balancing target pools, randomisation procedures and blinding methods. The protocol demonstrated that experimental outcomes could depend as much on target selection and scoring design as on the claimed phenomenon under investigation.[CIA+2documentcloud.org]cia.govSTANDARD REMOTE-VIEWING PROTOCOL (LOCAL…The elements of the protocol, each of which is addressed below, consist of (1) target pool…
What the protocol changed in the wider debate
The importance of the SRI local target protocol lies less in proving or disproving remote viewing than in changing how the claim was investigated.
Before SRI, claims of clairvoyance were often presented as isolated demonstrations that were difficult to repeat under controlled conditions. The local target format established a reproducible sequence that other laboratories could adopt, critique or modify. That made disagreements more precise. Instead of debating individual stories, researchers argued over specific elements such as randomisation, blinding, transcript handling, judging procedures and statistical analysis.[CIA]cia.govSTANDARD REMOTE-VIEWING PROTOCOL (LOCAL…The elements of the protocol, each of which is addressed below, consist of (1) target pool…
The protocol therefore became both the strongest argument for taking remote viewing seriously as an experimental question and the main focus of methodological criticism. Supporters viewed it as evidence that alleged anomalous perception could be examined systematically. Critics viewed it as a case study in how subtle weaknesses in experimental design can create apparently persuasive results without demonstrating a genuine paranormal effect. The enduring significance of the SRI local target protocol is that it established a repeatable experimental template whose strengths and limitations continue to shape discussions of remote-viewing research.[CIA+2ResearchGate]cia.govSTANDARD REMOTE-VIEWING PROTOCOL (LOCAL…The elements of the protocol, each of which is addressed below, consist of (1) target pool…
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Further Reading
Books and field guides related to How SRI Made Remote Viewing Testable. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.
The Men Who Stare At Goats
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Covers the legacy of SRI-related military research.
The Demon-Haunted World
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The conscious universe
First published 1997. Subjects: Parapsychology, Case studies, Cas, Études de, Paranormale verschijnselen, Parapsychologie.
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Endnotes
1.
Source: cia.gov
Link:https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/document/cia-rdp96-00787r000500400001-4
Source snippet
STANDARD REMOTE-VIEWING PROTOCOL (LOCAL...The elements of the protocol, each of which is addressed below, consist of (1) target pool...
2.
Source: documentcloud.org
Link:https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23069961-standard-remote-viewing-protocol-local-targets-sri-harold-e-puthoff-and-russell-targ/
Source snippet
STANDARD REMOTE-VIEWING PROTOCOL (LOCAL...STANDARD REMOTE-VIEWING PROTOCOL (LOCAL TARGETS) by Herold E. Puthoff and Russell Targ SRI int...
3.
Source: researchgate.net
Title: 15839349 Information transmission in remote viewing experiments
Link:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/15839349_Information_transmission_in_remote_viewing_experiments
Source snippet
Information transmission in remote viewing experiments27 May 2016 — TARG AND PUTHOFF1-3 have described investigations of an e...
Published: May 2016
4.
Source: cia.gov
Link:https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/document/cia-rdp96-00787r000500410001-3
Source snippet
ite chosen by experimenters and unknown to the subject.Read more...
5.
Source: nsarchive2.gwu.edu
Title: DIA 21
Link:https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB534-DIA-Declassified-Sourcebook/documents/DIA-21.pdf
Source snippet
National Security ArchiveSUN STREAKNovember 5, 2015 — A NEW TRAINING PROGRAM BGAN IN COORDINATE REMOTE VIEWING (CRV),WITH SRI. ANSRI SUBC...
Published: November 5, 2015
6.
Source: Wikipedia
Title: [Sensory leakage]({{ ‘leakage/’ | relative_url }})
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensory_leakage
7.
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Remote viewing
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_viewing
Source snippet
Remote viewingRemote viewing (RV) is the practice of seeking impressions about a distant or unseen subject, purportedly sensing with t...
Additional References
8.
Source: academia.edu
Link:https://www.academia.edu/36243450/REMOTE_VIEWING_OF_NATURAL_TARGETS_SRI_RUSSELL_TARG_AND_HAROLD_PUTHOFF
Source snippet
download the paper by clicking the button above...
9.
Source: youtube.com
Title: Remote Viewing Training, Part One: The Initial Phases, with Paul H. Smith
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2Ryc196s0I
Source snippet
Scientific and Spiritual Implications of Psychic Abilities - Russell Targ...
10.
Source: youtube.com
Title: Scientific and Spiritual Implications of Psychic Abilities
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgyYms376Mg
Source snippet
Military Intelligence Interest in Remote Viewing with Russell Targ...
11.
Source: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Link:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10275521/
Source snippet
Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA...by Á Escolà‐Gascón · 2023 · Cited by 10 — Since 1972, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) co...
12.
Source: youtube.com
Title: Military Intelligence Interest in Remote Viewing with Russell Targ
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxMF7PZd3k8
Source snippet
Russell Targ - Remote Viewing & [Third Eye Spies]({{ 'third-eye-spies/' | relative_url }})...
13.
Source: ciaotest.cc.columbia.edu
Title: sa jan02srm01
Link:https://ciaotest.cc.columbia.edu/olj/sa/sa_jan02srm01.html
Source snippet
Remote Viewing: The US Sponsored Psychic...This paper deals with experiments conducted in USA in which certain individuals were trained...
14.
Source: youtube.com
Title: Russell Targ
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_cLp15CaPE
Source snippet
Thomas McNear on Ingo Swann & Remote Viewing...
15.
Source: youtube.com
Title: Thomas Mc Near on Ingo Swann & Remote Viewing
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjYMKtt9hV4
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