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Subliminal stimuli are messages that influence behavior without awareness. Research has failed to produce evidence of their existence, but patients with certain neurological disorders and those under anesthesia have shown responses to them. Famous cases of subliminal stimuli have been proven false, and self-help tapes with hidden messages are ineffective.
Subliminal stimuli refer to the unconscious perception of words or images that influence behavior without awareness. The theory behind subliminal stimuli producing an emotional response depends on how quickly these hidden messages are incorporated into other stimuli. Hundreds of research studies exploring the concept of unconscious perception and its effect on behavior have failed to produce evidence that the phenomenon exists.
People with certain neurological disorders and the effects of anesthesia could guide decisions based on subliminal stimuli, the researchers found. Patients who suffer from blindsight, a disorder characterized by damage to an area of the brain that controls visual perception, may be able to describe images they claim are invisible. Usually one of the four quadrants of the visual field is affected by blindsight.
When patients under the effects of anesthesia listened to the recordings through headphones, they were later able to correctly guess the words they heard while unconscious when given the first three letters. These patients were more likely to spell a repeated word during surgery than other words starting with the same letters. Similar results occurred after testing patients with prosopagnosia syndrome, a disorder that prevents recognition of familiar faces. When given a choice between two options, these patients guessed the correct name more often.
One of the most famous cases of subliminal stimuli emerged in 1957, when market researcher James Vicary claimed he displayed subliminal messages during a movie at a drive-in. These stimuli lasted 3/1,000 of a second and repeated every five seconds, prompting people to buy popcorn and drink a certain cola drink. The psychologist said that sales of both products increased after the subliminal stimuli.
Details of the study have not been released, and no independent evidence has backed up the claims. Vicary later admitted to falsifying the study. Other researchers have attempted to duplicate the study with mixed results. A British psychologist discovered in the 1970s that people could identify a string of words interspersed with nonsense because the mind was subconsciously perceiving the information.
Around the same time, another claim was proven false. Researcher Wilson Bryan Key has written books arguing that the word sex was incorporated into advertising and product packaging that subconsciously stimulated sexual arousal and enticed people to buy the products. Further studies failed to support the theory that words, objects, or images used as subliminal stimuli influenced customers’ buying behavior.
Some respected scientists say self-help tapes with hidden subliminal messages prove ineffective for curing bad habits or enhancing weight loss. These tapes remain popular as possible problem solutions because so many people believe in the power of subliminal stimuli. Some experts believe that the hidden messages don’t even exist on these tape recordings.
