Subliminal Influence: Inducing an Image into an Unsuspecting Mind

Abstract

Introduction: Subliminal perception is the registration of a stimuli below the level of consciousness; particularly stimuli that are too weak (or too rapid) for an individual to consciously perceive them (APA). The present study aims at examining the effect of visual subliminal stimuli on the ability to detect the content of the stimulus. Sample: Eighty-eight female participants belonging to the age group 18 to 25 years were included in the study. Method: Eighty-eight participants were divided into three different groups. Participants in each group were required to watch 10 stock videos of 15 seconds each, in which different images of the most famous Indian celebrities were shown. No stimulus was present in the control group, whereas in the experimental groups the stimuli were presented for 16 milliseconds and 32 milliseconds respectively. After each video, the subjects were asked to name a celebrity that came to their mind. It was observed whether the participant’s response corresponded to the actual image of the subliminal stimulus. Results: The data showed that there is no significant difference between the responses of the three groups. Therefore, no effect of subliminal perception was detected in any of the cases.