Unconscious Perception Research Articles

Conscious and Unconscious Processes in the Arithmetic Priming Task Depend on the Arithmetic Skill

The study examined the role of conscious and unconscious processes depending on the level of arithmetic skill. The participants were divided into two groups according to their arithmetic skill based on the calculation fluency test results. Masked and unmasked single-digit addition problems (primes) followed by correct and incorrect results were presented on the screen. In a conscious perception task (unmasked priming), when large and small problem results were presented, an arithmetic N400 and LPC effects were observed in both groups. In the case of unconscious perception (masked priming), when small problem results were presented, the LPC effect was observed in the group with low arithmetic skill. The fact that the LPC arithmetic effect was discovered during the unconscious presentation may indicate the automatic nature of the encoding and retrieving information processes, reflecting neurophysiological characteristics associated with the level of arithmetic skill.

Kelley's Paradox and strength skewness in research on unconscious mental processes.

A widely adopted approach in research on unconscious perception and cognition involves contrasting behavioral or neural responses to stimuli that have been presented to participants (e.g., old items in a memory test) against those that have not (e.g., new items), and which participants do not discriminate in their conscious reports. We demonstrate that such contrasts do not license inferences about unconscious processing, for two reasons. One is Kelley's Paradox, a statistical phenomenon caused by regression to the mean. In the inevitable presence of measurement error, true awareness of the contrasted stimuli is not equal. The second is a consequence, within the framework of Signal Detection Theory, of unequal skewness in the strengths of target and nontarget items. The fallacious reasoning that underlies the employment of this contrast methodology is illustrated through both computational simulations and formal analysis, and its prevalence is documented in a narrative literature review. Additionally, a recognition memory experiment is reported which tests and confirms a prediction of our analysis of the contrast methodology and corroborates the susceptibility of this method to artifacts attributable to Kelley's Paradox and strength skewness. This work challenges the validity of conclusions drawn from this popular analytic approach.

Unconscious Perception, Action, and the Problem of Attribution

AbstractAccording to Phillips, (1) genuine perception is attributable to the individual (i.e. it is a personal state/event, as opposed to sub-personal states/events in the individual’s brain); (2) since unconscious perceptual representations are ill-suited to guide action, there is no good reason to attribute them to the individual; (3) not being attributable to the individual, they do not instantiate genuine perception, thereby failing to support the hypothesis that genuine perception can occur unconsciously. I argue that this reasoning is flawed and cannot be easily fixed. Phillips contends that unconscious perceptual representations do not guide action because they fail to meet certain conditions that are sufficient for action guidance. But those conditions may not be necessary for action guidance. Consequently, unconscious perceptual representations may guide action even if they do not meet Phillips’ conditions. Furthermore, due to his commitment to the distinction between personal and sub-personal states/events, Phillips is not in a position to argue that his conditions are necessary for action guidance. For the distinction applies to action as well as to perception, and when genuine action is identified by personal-level criteria, Phillips’ conditions turn out unnecessary for action guidance.

Unconscious Perception of Continuity During Visual Suppression

Unconscious Perception of Continuity During Visual Suppression

Perception-action Dissociations as a Window into Consciousness.

Understanding the neural correlates of unconscious perception stands as a primary goal of experimental research in cognitive psychology and neuroscience. In this Perspectives paper, we explain why experimental protocols probing qualitative dissociations between perception and action provide valuable insights into conscious and unconscious processing, along with their corresponding neural correlates. We present research that utilizes human eye movements as a sensitive indicator of unconscious visual processing. Given the increasing reliance on oculomotor and pupillary responses in consciousness research, these dissociations also provide a cautionary tale about inferring conscious perception solely based on no-report protocols.

Unconscious Perception of Vernier Offsets.

The comparison between conscious and unconscious perception is a cornerstone of consciousness science. However, most studies reporting above-chance discrimination of unseen stimuli do not control for criterion biases when assessing awareness. We tested whether observers can discriminate subjectively invisible offsets of Vernier stimuli when visibility is probed using a bias-free task. To reduce visibility, stimuli were either backward masked or presented for very brief durations (1-3 milliseconds) using a modern-day Tachistoscope. We found some behavioral indicators of perception without awareness, and yet, no conclusive evidence thereof. To seek more decisive proof, we simulated a series of Bayesian observer models, including some that produce visibility judgements alongside type-1 judgements. Our data are best accounted for by observers with slightly suboptimal conscious access to sensory evidence. Overall, the stimuli and visibility manipulations employed here induced mild instances of blindsight-like behavior, making them attractive candidates for future investigation of this phenomenon.

Smelling TNT: Trends of the Terminal Nerve.

There is very little knowledge regarding the terminal nerve, from its implications in the involvement and pathogenesis of certain conditions, to its embryological origin. With this review, we try to summarize the most important evidence on the terminal nerve, aiming to clarify its anatomy and the various functions attributed to it, to better interpret its potential involvement in pathological processes. Recent studies have also suggested its potential role in the control of human reproductive functions and behaviors. It has been hypothesized that it plays a role in the unconscious perception of specific odors that influence autonomic and reproductive hormonal systems through the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. We used the PubMed database and found different articles which were then selected independently by three authors. We found 166 articles, of which, after careful selection, only 21 were analyzed. The terminal nerve was always thought to be unimportant in our body. It was well studied in different types of animals, but few studies have been completed in humans. For this reason, its function remains unknown. Studies suggest a possible implication in olfaction due to the anatomical proximity with the olfactive nerve. Others suggest a more important role in reproduction and sexual behaviors. New emerging information suggests a possible role in Kallmann syndrome and COVID-19.

Separating the role of perceptual and conceptual fluency on masked word priming using event-related potentials

Masked word repetition increases “old” responses on an episodic recognition test (Jacoby & Whitehouse, 1989). This effect is commonly attributed to perceptual fluency; that is, unconscious perception of the prime speeds reading of the target and this fluency leads to elevated familiarity. Two experiments directly tested the claim that perceptual fluency is responsible for word priming effects. Experiment 1 held prime-target meaning constant and altered the physical characteristics of match primes (e.g., “RIGHT” primes “RIGHT”) by including both lowercase (e.g, “right”) and mixed case primes (e.g., “rIgHt”). If word priming effects are due to perceptual fluency, then lowering the perceptual overlap between the prime and target should decrease or eliminate word priming effects. Instead, all three conditions showed robust priming effects in the behavioral and ERP (i.e., N400) measures. Experiment 2 equated the prime-target perceptual features and lowered the conceptual overlap by using orthographically similar nonwords as primes (e.g., “JIGHT” primes “RIGHT”). Removing prime-target conceptual overlap eliminated behavioral evidence of priming and N400 ERP differences correlated with priming. The evidence suggests that word priming effects on episodic recognition memory are more likely a product of conceptual fluency than perceptual fluency.

Confidence Ratings Reflect Conscious but not Unconscious Perception

Confidence Ratings Reflect Conscious but not Unconscious Perception

Effects of different kinds of feedback on unconscious action learning and unconscious perception learning

Effects of different kinds of feedback on unconscious action learning and unconscious perception learning

Unconscious perception of race shapes conscious race categorization in the brain

Unconscious perception of race shapes conscious race categorization in the brain

Comparison of Frequentist and Bayesian Statistics for Studying Unconscious Perception: Differences Between Null Awareness Dissociation and Relative Sensitivity Dissociation.

For unconscious perception research, Bayesian statistics are more appropriate for assessing null awareness of masked stimuli than traditional (frequentist) statistics. This assertion is based mostly upon the theoretical features of Bayesian statistics and modeling studies. To further assess the potential advantages, we compared frequentist and Bayesian statistical tests in a masked Stroop priming experiment in which the prime stimuli were presented at varying degrees of visibility. A novel contribution was to compare a null awareness dissociation approach (i.e., stimulus awareness = 0) to a relative sensitivity approach (indirect or priming effects > direct effects) for the same data. From a null awareness perspective, the frequentist t-tests for the Stroop effect (i.e., perception) for the briefest display conditions had non-significant outcomes. Similar Bayesian t-tests were inconclusive. In contrast, the relative sensitivity dissociation approach was more interpretable, with strong evidence against unconscious perception from a single Bayesian t test. For the longer display conditions, both statistical approaches suggested large conscious perception effects. We conclude that the utility of Bayesian statistics is highly dependent upon the type of dissociation approach, with a relative sensitivity approach being more straightforward to interpret than a null awareness approach.

Effect of Subliminal Auditory Stimulation on Components of Auditory Late Responses and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Data in Adults with Normal Hearing

Background and Aim: The use of subliminal stimulation for unconscious effects on the target population is of great importance. while several studies have generated proper visual and auditory stimuli for subliminal stimulation, no study was found on the long-term effects of it. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the long-term effects of auditory subliminal presentation on the central nervous system structures using fMRI and Auditory Late Responses (ALRs). Methods: Participants were 26 students with a mean age of 24.03±2.32 years. There was four group in study. First, fMRI was done and ALRs were recorded for all of them. Then, music files containing words embedded in them was presented subliminally to participants in groups A and B for 10 days, group C received music file without any subliminal stimuli and group D was control group. It was repeated after 10 days. Results: The subliminal stimuli had significant effects on the amplitudes of P1, N1, P2, and P3 waves (F3=25.03, 25.41, 39.11, and 14.60; p<0.001). Between-group comparison showed significant changes in groups A and B compared to groups C and D (p<0.05). The difference in the recorded potential mean values showed the highest change for recording electrodes in the prefrontal, frontal, and central regions and the lowest change in parietal and occipital regions. There was no significant change for a latency component. Conclusion: Subliminal stimuli, presented appropriately and continuously, can leave long- term effects on the central nervous system structure causing extensive changes in the people’s attitude to a certain subject. Keywords: Subliminal perception; unconscious perception; unconsciousness; subconsciousness; subliminal auditory stimulus

Managerial marketing and behavioral marketing: when myths about marketing management and consumer behavior lead to a misconception of the discipline

AbstractMarketing has become accepted and proven in science and practice over the past decades. Many principles of marketing have become self-evident, but have led to gross generalizations and simplified thought patterns. This article examines myths and metaphors in marketing. A distinction is made between myths of managerial marketing and of behavioral marketing. In both sub-disciplines, we are often dealing with complex and invisible phenomena that occur in a variety of contexts. Attempts to explain these phenomena are therefore particularly prone to the emergence of myths or misconceptions. From a managerial perspective, topics such as the philosophy and leadership role of marketing, the generation of innovation success, the development of strategic competitive advantages, and brand management are reflected. Since the change from a sellers’ market to a buyers’ market, consumer behavior research and marketing have been closely intertwined. Therefore, findings from consumer behavior research form a central basis for successful decisions in marketing management. Based on this background, the second part of the article focuses on myths of consumer behavior research, here addressing unconscious phenomena in consumer behavior, mainly the discussion of subliminal priming (and its impact on manipulation) and unconscious perception as well as of unconscious motives, and approaches to implicite attitude measurement. Finally, implications are derived as to what extent the presented phenomena and the unveiling of myths have an impact on marketing management and on consumer behavior research and what roles these disciplines should take in the future. In the era of climate change and digital transformation, particular challenges are emerging. Thus, facts and not myths should determine the future path of the marketing discipline.

Using illusions to understand hallucinations: differences in perceptual performances on illusory figures may underscore specific visuoperceptual impairments in Parkinson's disease.

Visual hallucinations are prevalent, potentially disabling symptoms of Parkinson's Disease. Multiple impairments in bottom-up sensory processing and top-down perceptual modulation are implicated in the pathophysiology of these phenomena. In healthy individuals, visual illusions are elicited by illusory figures through parametric manipulations of geometrical configurations, contrast, color, or spatial relationships between stimuli. These illusory percepts provide insight on the physiologic processes subserving conscious and unconscious perception. In this exploratory, cross-sectional, controlled study, perceptual performance on illusory figures was assessed on 11 PD patients with hallucinations, 10 non-hallucinating PD patients, and 10 age-matched healthy individuals. In order to characterize potential neural substrates of perceptual performances, patients' brain metabolic patterns on FDG PET were also analyzed. Illusions relying on attentional modulation and global perception were attenuated in PD patients without hallucinations. This pattern was no longer recognizable in hallucinating patients. Conversely, illusory effects normally counteracted by figure to background segregation and overlapping figures recognition were enhanced in PD patients with hallucinations. FDG PET findings further suggest that perceptual differences between PD patients might be linked to abnormal top-down perceptual modulation.

The role of shape and color in the unconscious perception of the advertising module

The role of shape and color in the unconscious perception of the advertising module

Study of the Effects of Subsensory Influence on the System of Associations in Patients with Depressive Disorders

The article is devoted to the actual problem of studying the effects of unconscious perception and processing of subliminal visual verbal stimuli. Certain methodological problems arising in the research of transient perceptual-informational processes are defined. Significant differences in the course of such processes in healthy individuals and in patients with affective, primarily depressive disorders are emphasized. A description of the Technique of subsensory formating the associations, developed for researching the impact of subliminal visual verbal stimuli on psychosemantic structures of consciousness, is provided. The data on the examination of a sample of 69 people using the new technique are presented. The sample included 37 (53.62%) persons suffering from various forms of depressive disorders and 32 (46.38%) healthy persons of the control group. It is shown that an ultra-short exposure to the subsensory verbal stimuli with positive psychosemantic sense, demonstrated at the same time as the subject's attention is focused on the suprasensory target word, leads to a significant increase in positive associations with this word. It is noted that such effects are more pronounced in depressed patients than in healthy individuals. It is concluded that the obtained data open new prospects in the context of the development of modern personalized psychocorrective programs.

Neuroscience of consciousness: cognition, physics and philosophy of decoding the human brain

The biophysical roots of consciousness have been the subject of an ongoing debate for centuries. In order to understand the data, create novel experimental methodologies, and increase our ability to investigate this phenomenon of interest, the proposed theories must lead to empirical, repeatable, and testifiable studies. Contemporary theories of consciousness often do not relate to one another, and none of them has been distinguished as complete or proven empirically so far. The aim of this study is an investigation into some of the possible approaches that could merge neuronal brain activity with the laws of physics and some philosophical principles that may be associated with the emergence of consciousness in the first place. As a result, the relationship between consciousness and attention, working memory, access consciousness and phenomenal consciousness is evaluated. The contrast between conscious and unconscious perception, perceived visual inputs and subliminal ones is investigated to facilitate a discussion about the neural correlates of self-awareness. Consciousness as a global broadcast of information to integrated brain modules is being considered, as well as viewing a brain as a parallel information processor linked to attention inputs. Relationship between consciousness and attention is explored, as well as attention without consciousness and vice versa. Implications and shortcomings of the proposed approaches based on brain science, philosophy and quantum physics are also covered to shed some more light on this ever present experience of being conscious that everyone seems to self-witness but no one manages to adequately explain.

The epistemic import of phenomenal consciousness

ABSTRACT This paper controverts the ability of intentionalism about perception to account for unique epistemic significance of phenomenal consciousness. More specifically, the intentionalist cannot explain the latter without denying two well-founded claims: the transparency of experience, and the possibility of unconscious perception. If they are true, intentionality of perception entails that phenomenal consciousness has no special epistemic role to play. Although some intentionalists are ready to bite this bullet, by doing so they effectively undermine one of the standard motivations of their view, i.e. the claim that perceptual experiences justify beliefs. Consequently, whatever reason might there be to think that phenomenal consciousness has unique epistemic import, it is also a reason to reject intentionalism. I recommend replacing the latter with an unorthodox formulation of relationalism about perception.

National archetypes as a modus of resistance poetry in Russian-Ukrainian war

The purpose of the article is to reveal the types of national archetypes of resistance poetry created during the full-scale invasion 2022 of Russian-Ukrainian war.
 Poetry of the resistance of the first months of the full-scale invasion 2022 of Russian-Ukrainian war reflects the emotional upheaval of the nation, the conscious and unconscious perception of tragic events. This socio-cultural and spiritual phenome-non contributes to the worldview transformation of society, therefore the emergence foundations of war poetry of the highest quality deserve profound research.
 The methodology. Research with a use of the cultural-historical method based on the systematization and generalization of the researched material reveals national archetypes of war poetry.
 The results. The surge of poetic creativity in the genre of war poetry is explained, firstly, by the suffering during the first months of the war due to the internal conflict of the personality (“This cannot be for real!”) and the conflict returned from the outside (“This is unforgivable!”) Secondly, psychological traumas (losses of family and friends, homes, forced displacement, etc.) prompt the search for rescue beacons. Through the representation of the author’s worldview on tragic events, the individual, transformed at the level of artistic experience, becomes collective.
 The scientific novelty of the research lies in the fact that for the first time an analysis of the poetry of resistance of the first months of the full-scale invasion 2022 of Russian-Ukrainian war was carried out.
 Conclusions. The appeal to national archetypes became a modus of resistance poetry as a result of rethinking during the period of upheaval of the cultural paradigm and the search for ways of national identification.