Subliminal techniques as propaganda tools: review and critique

Abstract

Research on perception without awareness has provoked strong emotional responses from individuals within and outside the scientific community, due in part to the perceived potential for abuse of subliminal techniques. In this paper, four basic issues regarding the use of subliminal techniques for propaganda purposes are discussed: (a) whether exposure to subliminal stimuli can produce significant, predictable changes in affect, cognition and behavior; (b) whether these effects are robust and powerful enough to make the use of subliminal techniques for propaganda purposes feasible; (c) whether the effects of subliminal stimulation are stable over time; and (d) whether subliminal influences can be resisted by unwilling subjects. Ethical issues raised by the use of covert attitude and behavior manipulation techniques are addressed