155 



Under the direction of John Foster, Director of Defense Research 

 and Engineering, and Donald MacArthur, Deputy Director (Research 

 and Technology) , Defense Research and Engineering, the DOD has 

 conducted several internal and external assessments of its social science 

 research program.^o* In July of 1067, the Defense Science Board and 

 the National Academy of Sciences held a conference to address them- 

 selves to Chairman Foster's call to determine ''high-piiyoff" areas 

 of social science research for the DOD. The report of this study was 

 released in November 1967 for comment. The premise of the report 

 was that research programs should be continued and increased be- 

 cause the Department must "* * * wage not only 'warfare' but 'peace- 

 fare' as well.'' "^ The DOD did not immediately accept all of the rec- 

 ommendations of the Board. However, in a speech made in November 



1967, Donald MacArthur said the DOD concurred in the recommenda- 

 tions that DOD should continue with Project Themis (to develop 

 educational centers of excellence while at the same time providing 

 DOD with research) ; Project 100,000 (to train delinquents to be 

 good soldiers) ; and with other manpower training, human engineer- 

 ing and psychological programs. He also stated that DOD would 

 find particular value in the recommended "high pay-oflT' area of 

 continuing foreign area social science research: 



Another area of importance to national security planning is obtaining broader 

 and more accurate information on the social, psychological, and economic 

 characteristics of nations throughout the world. Research in this area is frag- 

 mented and inadequate in both theory and methodology. Increased under- 

 standing of attitudes, beliefs, motives, group aflBliations, channels of com- 

 munications, social-political organizations, and leadership structures are needed, 

 as well as the process of change in social-cultural patterns. One important con- 

 cern, within the broader field of social change, is the specific problem of the 

 consequences of technological innovations in developing societies.^"" 



And on November 2, 1967, John Foster reiterated DOD's need to 

 support classified research on university campuses because — 



We need to advance knowledge and push technological limits in those fields 

 of science and engineering that are relevant to long-range defense problems. 



We must assist in assuring that the national effort in graduate education 

 and research in these fields is adequate to the defense needs of our country.^*^ 



He continued that all basic research supported by DOD at uni- 

 versities would be unclassified; but DOD support to universities for 

 "exploratory research" might be increased or contracts with indi- 

 viduals instead of universities might be used for classified work. To 



i°* On Jan. 6. 1967, John S. Foster requested that the Defense Science Board undertake 

 "(1) a detailed review of each of ARPA's on-goinsr projects In the behavioral sciences both 

 basic and applied, to determine whether or not the work being- performed Is of direct rele- 

 vance to DOD and whether or not the description of that work as given In Project Plans 

 is adequate; and (2) a similar review of on-going projects in the military departments." 

 (Memorandum from John S. Foster, Jr., to the Chairman. Defense Science Board. App. 

 A.) In Report of the Defense Science Board Task Group on the Behavioral Sciences. May S, 



1968. (Washington, D.C., Office of the Director of Defense Research and Engineering. 

 p. 9.) Much of the assessment remains to be completed ; the first report. May S, 196S, dealt 

 with information exchange and the relevance of research. With respect to' the latter, the 

 Defense Science Board recommended that DOD make sure of the utility of contract 

 research to the DOD mission before It funds a project (p. 7). Donald MacArthur requested 

 the NAS study of the Advisory Committee on Government Programs in the Behavioral 



Sciences in 1965. 



i""' Report of the Panel on Defense Social and Behavioral Sciences. July 5-14, 1967. 

 Defense Science Board-National Academy of Sciences Berkshire Summary Study (Williams- 

 town. Mass. (1967)), p. 7. 



^«« Donald M. MacArthur, Current Emphasis on the Department of Defense's Social and 

 Behnvloral Sciences Program. (Invited address presented at the meeting of the Division 

 of Engineering Psychologists. American Psychological Association, Washington D.C., 

 September 1967.) American Psychologist (vol. 53, No. 2, February 1968), pp. 105. 107. 



^*" John S. Foster, Jr., On the Relationship Between the University and the Department 

 of Defense, Nov. 2, 1967. In Academic Research : Foster Defends DOD Support in Univer- 

 sities. Science (vol. 158, Nov. 24, 1967), pp. 1032-4. 



