An exploratory study was undertaken to examine the possible differences between electrographic (Kirlian) photographs exposed while subjects were awake and asleep as well as between REM and NREM sleep states as defined by traditional Sleep Research parameters. Three college-aged volunteer students were each run for three experimental sessions comprised of non-consecutive nights in the Sleep Lab Facility. Each S was judged to be of average qualities, for the limited purposes of this study, in physical and mental parameters, as indicated by extensive pre-experimental interviews and observation. Photos were obtained before, during, and after sleep, with a total of 81 photos being attained. Thirty-two of these photos were produced during a quiet waking state prior to the sleep session and 49 photos were made during sleep (23 REM and 26 NREM). Subjects slept in an anechoic chamber, buffered from external audio,visual and EMG influences . The electrophysiological , photographic and audio recording equipment was monitored in an adjacent control room. After exploring a number of various methods by which to take consistent electrographic photos while subject was asleep, it was determined that the only way to ensure a semblance of consistency was to post a research assistant in the Sleep Chamber, who would then physically place the Subjects right-hand, index finger-tip onto the unexposed film.
Exposures were made when it was determined, through an electrically triggered feedback signal between RA and the Equipment room, that the proper, predetermined physiological parameters had been fulfilled. The RA then carefully placed the fingertip upon the electrode surface, with minimal pressure applied downward but still maintaining contact with the Ektachrome 120, 7Omm, color film. At the time.of exposure a power supply introduced a 75,000 volt, .2 micro amp charge to the electrode plate for a duration of two seconds. The film was advanced manually. At no time during the experimentalsession did the S's show any signs of state-interruption.
All photos were tabulated and coded, using a random number table. The small numbers on the edge of the film strip were covered with opaque tape to cover any possible guessing by the judges as to when it may have been exposed. The photos were placed in small manila envelopes, again with coded random numbers. The author was the only individual to have access to the master decode list and all judging proceedures were managed by MB who was "blind" to what pictures were taken at what time. The judges were volunteers picked from a group of interested students that had no other connection to the experiment.
Phase One of the data analysis focused upon sleep vs. wakefulness. The authors prepared subjectively determined guidelines so that four independent judges could attempt to classify the photos into waking vs. sleeping categories. Some of the more prominent characteristics mentioned in the guidelines included awake photos having more white and blue coronal discharge, surrounding an opaque finger tip image; whereas the sleep photos had a more irregular coronal discharge, both inconsistency and in color, surrounding a fingertip image dominated by yellowish orange. Each judge was given the 81 photos and asked to sort them into waking vs sleeping categories using the written guidelines. A day later, each judge was asked to sort three more times, proceeding Subject by Subject.
Phase Two focused upon the 49 sleep photos. The sleep photos were given to two of the judges with the simple instructions to sort into two groups, one with 23 photos and one with 26 photos; the judges were instructed to use any basis of classification which seemed useful. The Judges were indeed successful in categorizing these photos in that the NREM photos tended to contain an unbroken white coronal discharge around the finger tip impression. The coronas of the REM sleep photos tended to have a broken coronal discharge. Each of the other two judges were then asked to sort the sleep photos using these, and other, criteria. As in phase one, judgments were made initially for the photos from all three subjects together and then one subject at a time. Statistical analysis involved chi square, with Yates correction when necessary. Each of the four judges were highly successful in classifying the total group of awake vs. asleep photos (p < .01 for each of the judges). Averaged across the four judges, the overall percentage of correct choices equaled 78.3%. Six of the 12 subject-by-subject sets of judgments were statistically significant beyond the .01 level, with 4 of the other sets of judgments approaching significance. For the REM-NREM judgments, two of the four judges were successful (p < .005 for the first judge and p < .02 for another judge); the data from the other two judges failed to reach significance. The successful judges had an overall percentage of correct choices of 65.3%.
Summary and Recommendations.The authors feel that the evidence, as stated, justifies further experimentation because there appears to be a correlation between the graphical depiction of the photographed energy emissions and the physiological states of the Subjects.
Future, similar experiments should attempt to:
1. more clearly define judgment protocols
2. develop an objective method for quantifying the photo content to eliminate experimenter biases;
3. develop a "hands off", remotely controlled Kirlian apparatus with similar "finger-to-electrode" pressures as was shown in this study. This will also eliminate what-ever influences may have been caused by the Research Assistant's continual presence in the anechoic chamber.
Published as a monograph in the Journal for the Psychophysiological Study of Sleep - 1978 (Stanford Press) --

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