Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects (the Condon Report, complete, three volumes)

enthusiasm for ~,tudy of UFiJ rCJOl·ts as 5u-.:h h~ 111ls:onstrlled as a
reconntlt:H('.ation that these LllDort,t:' t related fields of scientific worle
]1(\t be adequate 1;1 supported in the future, In an era of maj or deHd.op-
men; of air travel, of spacE explQration, and of mi.litary aerospllce
activities, everything possible should be done to improve our basic
u{\der~taJ)ding of :'.11 atmospheric ?henomena, and to improve the training
of astronauts and aircraft pilot:' in the n~cognition and u'.1dt~rstanding
.)f such phenomena .
•I'...s the reader of this repnrt \dll readily jUdge, we have focussed
attention almo'5t enti rely on the physical sciences, This \o,'li~ in part
Ii mc.tter of determiT'l',g priorities and in }i1Yt bet3uSe we found rather
less than some persuns rna;' l.ave expect,,~d in the way of psychiatric
problelils relat.ed to bel.ief in the rcallt)' of UPOs as craft from remote
galactic or intergalactic civilizations. We believe that the rigorous
study of the beliefs--ulisupported by v~licl evidence--held by indivi-
duals rind even by 5~me group" might prove of scientific value to the
social and behavioral s(.;lences, There is DC' implicatjon here that
individual fi:: ~::'(;~l~ :1sychopathology is a principal area of study,
Report'; of UFOs ofter interesting challl'J1&es to the stulent of cogni-
tive pr,)ccsses as they are affected by individual and social variables.
By this c:onnectirlll, we conclude that a cont'~nt-an,aysis of press unt!
televisi ~Jn covclage (If UFO r;;)ports might yieltl data of value both to
the ~0da} sci("tist an,l the communlcatioll~; special1st. The lack of
such a. ~,tu. ;,:::(;!.!,' !1~ychopathology is it principal area of study,
RepOTU: of UFOs after interesting challeilj.!cs to the ~tu:1CJ\t of cogni-
tive pr,)ce~ses as ther arc affected by individual <lnd social variables,
By this c:onnectir'll, we conclude tha: a contl)nt-an:dysis of press <lnt!
televisj~n covelag~ 0f UFO raport! might yield data of value hotl. to
the !i0da} sci(lltist an·l thl" communicatiOlu; "pecia11~t, The lack of
:;uc:h a ~;tuJy .in the prc!;ent report is clue to u judgment on OUT part that
other lirea~, oJ ):lJC';:til~,',tion were of much higher JlTiority, We do not
sugge~ t, hOIl'I!V,'t, . !lI.,t i he OFO pONtOn,en )11 I. s, by its lliHUTe, mot€'
f.une!'.a\) Ie to study in tl1,';(' dt$dpl~'1E's thall in the rl1)'sicaJ scicnr.:es,
On th~' c(mtr~Ti, 'J/(' ,-Oil, . .h:dc that till' :.lU11( speC'i f: d ty '111 propo~;(;'(',
r(,s~':lrch ill these "n'c~i:~ i, 1\0' dC:ilTublc '.:; it i;; ill ti.'. phy:iical
scirmces
'llu; que:;tio;.,.''''m'1ill~ 9S to What, .1 f lillythinR, th,~ fct!crnl f,overn ..
ment sl',ould do ab'Jllt th,~ IIPO rl'ports it T'l'cl.'iv<'s from the general publIC,
Io;e lJ)~e jn'::ined to think ti'at nothil\~ ~;hl!lll(l be ,10110 with ~.~em in the
expect: t ion that t'l f.'Y lin' goirg tu L:ontril1ute tu th(~ EiLhallc<c of sci.encl·