(TMI-ARMY Files) 1982 - FAST Acquisition Skills Training - Executive Summary

Question 15: Could You sense or feel an improvement in coping with emotionally upsetting situations after using the tape exercises? | CATEGORY /ANSWER TEST CLASS (%) ' Yes 33.3 . No 22.2 an Don't know 44.4 Number NEO. Finally, a majority (66.7%) of the successful test students agreed that the FAST tapes did influence how well they did in the course. There seemed to be no particular trait or personal need which would significantly suggest whether students would enjoy or ap- preciate FAST tape experiences, unless “enjoys hard work" would suggest a dislike for tapes. A few students (33.3%) indicated they acquired new abilities or skills as a result of the tape exercises, and 33.3% also indicated they could cope better with emotionally upsetting situations. Students (44.4%) gave partial agreement that tapes could be designed to assist in other training programs, and somewhat (66.7%) agreed self control and personal motivation can be improved after practicing with the FAST tapes. Where the evidence is not always pointedly significant in confirming tape use, there are repeated observations which agree that tape experiences are accruing positive reactions. These reactions, if not wholly concisive, have induced no apparent instances of per- formance impairment or loss, yet do lend students encouragement. INSTRUCTOR QUESTIONNAIRE Instructor responses reflected a fairly distinct "neutrality" set. Instructors generally agreed the test class was the same as other classes in performance. Whether the in- structors were truly able to maintain an objective outlook, or-simply adopted the neutral viewpoint, is beyond determining in this ‘analysis. There was slightly acknowledged awareness that the FAST tapes were nenaing help toward student relaxation. Where the instructors were very adept in identifying proficient BBC performance in an objective mode, it is possible this perceptual condition inhibited their capacity to identify more subtle qualitative BBC task differences in students in terms of effort, motivation and _Andividual learning strategies. Thus it’ might suffice to say instructors remained "mission oriented," rather than attempting to engage in detailed behavioral analysis of student task actions and attitudes which could have biased the test class in favor of the FAST tapes. " = poser 16 --- PAGE 17 (OCR) --- OBJECTIVE DATA U Test vs. Control While the objective data are based on small samples and caution is required for inter-+ pretation, several interesting comparisons were found. The test class was compared with several preceding classes by combining .those prior students into one major control group (N=41). Although the test class (N=21) had a higher percentage (66.7%) of : "deficiency" labeled (special tutoring needed) students than the control group (53.7%), a distinctly higher percentage of the "non-deficiency" students (100%) in the test class passed the "voice and diction" course phase than those (78.9%) passing in the control group. This test class passing rate for "non-deficiency" students implies the FAST system may have a more immediate effect on the better students. The lower total "pass" rate for the test class (57.1%) vs. the control group rate (68.3%) may have been even predictably lower for "voice and diction." As it was, the influence of the initial high percentage of "deficient" students on test class performance and group proficiency was not dispropor- tionate, and fewer of the "non-deficiency" students may have passed if the FAST system was impairing. At the completion of the “radio" phase, of the remaining students, a higher percentage of test class students (92.3%) passed than those (78.6%) in the control group. Though this May not be a very impressive statistically significant "pass increase" for the test class, it does suggest with the "non-deficiency" pass rate above the presence of a positive in- fluence that is not occurring by chance. The control group, originally being the "less deficient" group, might be expected to have passed the same or a higher percentage of students. No salient distinction between groups was available for the "television" phase since all students of both groups passed; however, a slightly higher percentage of the control group (59.1%) earned higher honor points than did the test class students (54.6%). During the preceding “radio" training, the test class (33.2%) did earn a higher percentage of higher honor points, showing a wider range (5 to-10) of honor points than the control group students (22.7%). 17 --- PAGE 18 (OCR) --- TABLE 5. OBJECTIVE DATA Test vs. Control 5.1 VOICE AND DICTION: _PASS/FAIL CATEGORY. "DEFICIENCY STATUS. = : None Recycle Remedial Vocab Total -Test ControljTest ControljTest ControljTest Control|Test Control ae 7 15 2 7 3 Z 0 San lm2 28 100.0] 78.9 |40.0| 63.6 |50.0] 66.7 | 0.0] 50.0 |57.1| 68.3 ACADEMIC 0 0 a 2 o 0) 2 0 3) 2 PROBATION 0.0] 0.0 |20.0] 18.2 | 0.0] 0.0 |66.7] 0.0 ]14.3] 4.9 2 to} 3 ° at aL () 0 4 11458 RECLcLe o.o] 15.8 | 0.0] 9.1 |16-7} 0.0 | 0.0] 50.0 | 4.afl tZa<9 ° 1 2 1 2 1 il ° 5 5 a 0.0] 5.3 |40.0] 9.2 |33.3] 33.3 [33.3] 0.0 |23.8| 7.3 arent (n) 7 19 5 aia 6 3 3 s | 2 41 (s) | 33.3] 46.3 |23.8] 26.8 }2e.6] 7.3 14.3] 19.5 hoo.0] 10.0 i (66.7) (53-7) 5.2 RADIO: PASS CATEGORY CLASS STATUS No Def Recycle Remedial Vocab Total Test ,Control{Test.Control{Test,Control {Test.Control|Test,Control| i 7 12 2 6 3 0 0 4 | 12 22 eee 100.0| 92.3 |e6.7| 66.7 oo.g 0.0 | 0.0] 100.0 |92.3| 78.6 ° 1 it 3 ) 2 ° 0 3 6 es 0.0] 7.7 }33.3] 33.3 | 0.0] 100.0 | 0.0] 0.0 | 7.7] 22.4 ) a 13 3 9 | 3 2 ° a | 13 28 eee (s) | 53.8] 46.4 }23.1| ©32.1 |23.2] 7.1 | 0.0] 14.3 hoo.0| 200.0 18 --- PAGE 19 (OCR) --- TABLE 5 5.3 5.4 5.5 (Continued)- HONOR POINTS IN TELEVISION POINTS TEST CLASS & CONTROL CLASS %& Five 18.2 27.3 Six 18.2 18.2 Seven 0.0 9.1 Eight 18.2 0.0 Nine 0.0 4.5 Number Nell N=22 & 54.6 59.1 HONOR POINTS IN RADIO points | vest crass % | CONTROL CLASS & Five 8.3 18.2 Six 8.3 4.5 Seven 8.3 0.0 Eight 0.0 0.0 Nine 0.0 0.0° Ten 8.3 0.0 Number N=12 N=22 % lemsse2 PELE) _, BBC GRADUATION carecory |rest crass }conTRoL cLaSs|TOTAL Did not ir 26 37 Graduate 50.0. 54.2 5259) an 22 33 por agua ted (Ea 50% 45.8 47.1 @) 22 48 70 RSS (CP eel 68.6 100.0 19) --- PAGE 20 (OCR) --- / Graduation of 50% of the test class compared to graduation of roughly 45.8% of the control group tends to suggest that the FAST tape experience exercised no deleterious effect and had a marginal advantage. Possibly, this experience helped, sustain performance at a slightly higher than expected level in view of the significantly "deficient" student majority originally in the test class. It is tentatively concluded that the test students did show expérience of tension reduction or relaxation because they exhibited at least fully equivalent performance but with a qualitatively tape enhanced level of task achieve- ment when compared with the control group. In traditional training systems inducing re- laxation for students has been avoided in fear of inhibiting control and achievement. Test students reorganized their perception of stress to direct their performance toward given tasks. There are indications that the less stressful performance for differential tasks in the test class was allowing as good as or better task mastery in achieving BBC proficiency. If more time could be spent using such tape training experience with a better academically oriented class, appreciably more performance improvements could probably result with better patterns of tension control and reduction. TRAINING IMPLICATIONS In well.over a 1,000 other cases observed by the Monroe Institute, the HEMI-SYNC approach leading to the FAST system had yielded positive results. The principal DINFOS issue became whether the tailored FAST/AGS program could show comparable effectiveness in an innovative group training context and provide definitive interpretation by Getaiied statistical dis- cussion. Some observers have also posed casual queries about "placebo" or "Hawthorne" effects, i.e., techniques that show improvement simply because of the expected or desired performance. But where it is known already that brain wave and psychological effects are previously related to study evidence (Jones, 1982), then conscious and unconscious effects ain differential student responses to the FAST/AGS stimuli are likely more attributable to the related HEMI-SYNC/FFR and voice stimuli than to chance motivation. . Similarity to any positive reinforcement strategy or hypnosis, for that matter, can be tolerated, because the FAST/AGS procedures are not categorically different in consequences from those approaches. Also there is little, if any, agreement on "why" and “how” those approaches succeed with predicted outcomes under specific conditions. We may have to enjoy the accidental luxury of using "light" without a complete definition of electricity, i.e., use an instrumental system without knowing the essence of all its components. A random comparison of students comments gives a personal description at Table 6 which was ( . : oriented positive toward the FAST program. IN 20 | 3 : --- PAGE 21 (OCR) --- FAST STUDENT RANDOM COMMENTS ‘Number COMMENTS, Value | Te HEMI-SYNC should be presented as requirement + with time to use tapes to get benefits. 2. "Sound Sleep" tape really helped but haven't + ~ used others. a: Used "Sound Sleep" but had headaches. - 4. Didn't use tapes during skill training but - practice with tapes could help. 5. Attention tape worked better after a couple + of drinks. 6. Would like to continue tape use on my own + schedule. 7. We all seemed to benefit by the "On~the-Air" + tape and know most of us benefited to some degree by others. 8. Don't know if classmates were better able to a perform after using a tape. 9. Would use FAST tape after completing BBC. + 10. The “On-the-Aix" tape did it! I'd sell my + for that much help in Television. ai., During the class"FAST Nap" tape, holding a + hand thermometer, my temperature rose about four degrees. (N) | Evaluated Comments and 8 3 Peesy %) Summary of Responses 72.7|27.3 As a preliminary pilot study, the FAST system presented a variety of attenuated results. counseling procedure. very promising though The FAST/AGS approach was apparently acceptable to instructors and ". students in that it was not disruptive to BBC functioning and served effectively as a group Within conservative limits relaxation was experienced by the test class and performance attitudes favorably modified by the FAST system. The FAST/AGS technology was adaptable for BBC and may be improved with prescribed scheduling and tape editing. possible and performance selectively enhanced when desired. 21 Test instruments furnished evidence that favorable stress adjustments are clearly --- PAGE 22 (OCR) --- REFERENCES i ~ Green, E. Biofeedback for mind-body self-regulation. In D. Shapiro, T.X. Barber, L.V. DiCara, J. Kamiya, N.E. Miller, & J. Stoyva, (Eds.), Biofeedback and Self- Control. Chicago: Aldine Publishing Co., 1973 ~ Hastings, A. Tests of the Sleep Induction Technique. Unpublished manuscript. San Francigco, CA, 1975. - Jones, T.E. Communicating with one's self: A wave of the / future. In H.{. Didsbugy, Jr., (Ed.), Communications and ./ the Future. Bethesda: AWorld Future Society, 1983. - Monroe, R.A. The Hemi-Sync Process. Monroe Institute Bulletin, Nellysford, VA,. 1982, #PR 31380H. Y - Oster, G. Auditory beats in the brain. Scientific American, 1973229, 94-102. I - Sternberg, D. Psychophysical HEMI-SYNC Measures. i Unpublished manuscript. Nellysford, VA, 1982. ~ Waldkoetter, R.O., & Milligan, J.R. A Learning-Receptive State as Induced by an Auditory Signal or Frequency Pulse. Paper presented at the 20th Annual Conference of the Military Testing Association, Oklahoma City, OK, 1978. | 22