Are All Subliminal Messages Intentionally Inserted?

• These messages tend not to be clear and obvious

Are All Subliminal Messages Intentionally Inserted?

• These messages tend not to be clear and obvious

• Could it be that our brains mistakenly see or hear messages that aren’t really there?

Are All Subliminal Messages Intentionally Inserted?

• These messages tend not to be clear and obvious

• Could it be that our brains mistakenly see or hear messages that aren’t really there?

• Do brains make stuff up!?

Are All Subliminal Messages Intentionally Inserted?

• These messages tend not to be clear and obvious

• Could it be that our brains mistakenly see or hear messages that aren’t really there?

• Do brains make stuff up!?

Absolutely! All the time.Absolutely! All the time.

Are All Subliminal Messages Intentionally Inserted?

• Is there really a dog or are the spots enough like a dog for your brain to fill in the rest?

Are All Subliminal Messages Intentionally Inserted?

• Some other examples brains making guesses with your perception

• Missing fundamental, color constancy, Kaniza triangle,the blindspot, illusory conjunctions, misinformation effect, false memories

Subliminal “Messages” Where you Least Expect Them

• How did Vokey and Read test the idea that subliminal messages might just be a case of mistaken perception?

Subliminal “Messages” Where you Least Expect Them

• They examined passages from various sources (Jabberwokey and the 23rd Psalm) played backwards to identify candidate messages

The “subliminal” message is:

Subliminal “Messages” Where you Least Expect Them

• They examined passages from various sources (Jabberwokey and the 23rd Psalm) played backwards to identify candidate messages

The “subliminal” message is: “saw a girl with a weasel in her mouth”

Subliminal “Messages” Where you Least Expect Them

• Listeners were given each passage (backwards) and asked to listen for 12 possible messages

• Listeners detected “messages” in the appropriate passage

Subliminal “Messages” Where you Least Expect Them

• Interpretation: Your brain is remarkably good at “active construction” of patterns amid a background of noise.

Subliminal “Messages” Where you Least Expect Them

• Interpretation: Your brain is remarkably good at “active construction” of patterns amid a background of noise.

• Creative listening by (well-meaning?) public censors can go very wrong

Subliminal “Messages” Where you Least Expect Them

• Consider the trial of Judas Priest– Band sued for inserting the message “do it”

which allegedly lead to the suicide of two teens

Listen for “Do It” The “do its”

Subliminal “Messages” Where you Least Expect Them

• Consider the trial of Judas Priest– Band sued for inserting the message “do it”

which allegedly lead to the suicide of two teens

• Band acquitted on the basis of expert testimony

Expert Testimony !

Subliminal “Messages” Where you Least Expect Them

• With enough creativity and patience one can see “subliminal messages” just about anywhere:

Subliminal “Messages” Where you Least Expect Them

• Our perceptual mechanisms are great at extracting meaningful images from noisy stimuli. For example - the famous face on Mars:

Viking, 1976

Subliminal “Messages” Where you Least Expect Them

• Given a clearer picture it looks a lot less like a face:

Mars Global Surveyor, 2001

Summary

Sensory Signals

Sensory Memory

Short-Term Memory

Long-Term Memory

ATTENTION

REHEARSAL

RETRIEVAL