Subliminal Effects Research Articles

Experimenter bias against subliminal perception? A rejoinder.

The basis for Spence & Smith's (1977) critique of three replications of subliminal perception experiments is judged to be conjectural. The case that the replications were less sensitive to subliminal perception effects than the original experiments is evaluated and rebutted.

Experimenter bias against subliminal perception? Comments on a replication.

Criticizes three replications of experiments on subliminal perception for not being true replications. The lack of subliminal effects in the replications could very well be explained by a change from sensitive to insensitive instruments of measurement.

Professional productivity and quality assurance phases II – V

This study attempts to demonstrate that an emergency/ambulatory nurse practitioner (NP) performs her role in emergency medicine with reliability and thoroughness; that she can effectively work as part of a nurse practitioner-physician team (NP/MD), provided her capabilities are fully used and that her role is complementary to the physician's. The team effort results in a reciprocal effect as demonstrated by professional performance patterns (PPP) and a subliminal triage effect should develop between NP and the physician. A "weighted" professional productivity formula is presented that has interesting potential. Time flow data is presented along with other demographic data. The problem oriented medical record format, as adapted for emergency medicine, again demonstrated effective auditability.

Comment from a Conservationist

The perspicacity and innovativeness of Professor Foulkes' article' on the German department as an endangered species deserves a response from colleagues who are concerned, together with him, about the problems of the study of German at a large and influential university rather than from someone who is not even a member of a German department, but of an amorphous (and small) Department of Foreign Languages.2 However, it has seemed to me that Professor Foulkes' provocative remarks have a subliminal effect, involving each reader personally, outside of his professional situation. The hidden question which impinges on a consciousness easily convinced by the rationality of the case presented to it in the article is an emotional one: Why am I a German teacher; what do I think I am doing in the classroom? The egocentricity of this approach finds its justification in an argument which pertains a priori, certainly not on the basis of assembled statistics (inevitably ambivalent and boring), namely that education is a relationship which exists between a student and a teachera real live one, in each case. I am a German teacher because I want to teach German. Although this kind of raison d'dtre might appear to be the primary force in the dynamics of education, it is, of course, the student's part in the encounter which predominates; the student is the instigator of the partnership which is the educational process, and he is its product. Accordingly, what I do in the classroom consists of convincing the student both of the importance, on a personal level, of the activity to which I am devoted and of the conscientiousness with which I engage in it. Perhaps as a footnote to this concept the clich6 should appear that languages cannot be learned through a process of osmosis.

Failure of subliminal word presentations to generate interference to color naming.

Abstract : In a previous study, it was shown that reliable Stroop-like delays of color-naming could be generated by presenting incongruent color names in black ink just before the nonword color patches. When color names were congruent to the color patches, color-naming was faster than for a control condition. The present investigation tested for the effects of subliminally presented stimuli by attempting to replicate the earlier findings but with the interfering or facilitating words presented at subthreshold exposure durations. The negative results found with these subliminal word stimuli raise serious questions about the ability of meaningful stimuli to produce subliminal effects. The findings are discussed in relation to previous subliminal research. (Author)

Further Comments on Matters Relevant to Investigations of Subliminal Phenomena: A Reply

This paper constitutes a reply to the Wiener and Kleespies' (1968) rejoinder to Silverman and Spiro's (1967) article on “The partial cue controversy and matters relevant to investigations of subliminal phenomena.” Discussion is focused on a consideration of: (1) the data offered by Silverman and Spiro in support of the subliminal model; (2) the data presented by Guthrie and Wiener (1966) in support of the partial cue model; (3) the evidence cited by Silverman and Spiro bearing on two subject variables relevant to the question of whether a subliminal effect can be demonstrated.

Some comments and data on the partial cue controversy and other matters relevant to investigations of subliminal phenomena.

In response to a recent article by Guthrie and Wiener (1966) data and logical considerations are presented which support the following conclusions. (1) For a number of recent studies of subliminal phenomena, the most parsimonious explanation for positive results is one implicating the subliminal registration of content and, contrary to the claim of Guthrie and Wiener, not one relating to structural cues in awareness. (2) Also contrary to their claim, Guthrie and Wiener's data provide little support for the view that even in the early investigation of Eagle (1959), Ss were responding to partial cues. (3) Guthrie and Wiener's failure to obtain a content effect in their own experiment was most likely the result of the level at which their stimuli were exposed and/or their not taking into account subject variables that are relevant to the question of whether a subliminal effect can be demonstrated.

Spatial and temporal facilitation in vision

Several research-workers in psychophysical visual experiments have noticed that a large stimulus at threshold level is often seen in its entirety. If we consider this observation in connexion with current theories on the visual threshold mechanism it can only be explained by supposing the existence of a mechanism that facilitates subliminal activity whenever a supraliminal effect is present in the retinal image. Experiments were undertaken to study the spatial and temporal aspects ot this facilitation mechanism. The distance and the time within which it is active exceed the distance and time within addition of subliminal effects occurs, to a degree that depends upon the experimental conditions which determine the density of retinal activity elicited by the stimulus.

Variation of integrative actions in the retinal system; an adaptational phenomenon.

The interaction of subliminal effects arising in the retina from two stimuli presented at adjustable time and distance apart from each other is studied (with the aid of measurements of frequencies of seeing) for each stimulus separately and for the combined flash. The chance for successful interaction as a function of time and distance between the stimuli is deduced quantitatively. Experiments refer to red and green flashes on red and green adapting fields, in peripheral and foveal vision. Except for integrate capacity in space in the fovea, a considerable decrease in these capacities is demonstrated for higher levels of adapting brightness. The amplitude of variation in sensitivity during adaptation is estimated.