Extremely rigorous subliminal paradigms demonstrate unconscious influences on simple decisions

Behav Brain Sci. 2014 Feb;37(1):39-40. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X13000848. Epub 2014 Jan 24.

Abstract

While showing unconscious influences on complex decisions is indeed difficult, relevant awareness in relatively simpler subliminal paradigms is more easily assessed. Utilizing objective detection (vs. more typical identification or classification) tasks to assess awareness overcomes longstanding residual methodological problems, and prior work using such methods (e.g., Snodgrass & Shevrin 2006) clearly shows unconscious influences on simple decisions.

Publication types

  • Comment

MeSH terms

  • Decision Making*
  • Humans
  • Unconscious, Psychology*