If you’ve ever wondered what Subliminal Messages are, you’re not alone. A subliminal message is either an auditory or visual stimulus, affirmation, or message presented below the normal limits of human auditory or visual perception. Some say they can control our minds without us even knowing while others say they don’t even exist. There are many differing views on the authenticity, power and purpose of what is known as subliminal messages.
How Do Subliminal Messages Work
Subliminal messages operate at a subconscious level. They provide stimuli that are below the Absolute Threshold Level (ATL), which refers to the lowest possible stimulus level a person can discern. The stimulation could be visual, sensory or auditory. When a mind picks up any form of stimulation that is not seen, heard or detectable by the conscious mind, that is a subliminal stimulus. But these stimuli are perceived by the subconscious mind and when they happened, it is likely to provide a respond to it. Therefore, both the perception and response to the stimulus occur in the subconscious mind.
Subliminal Advertising strategy
When a business advertises through subliminal messages, it is aiming to influence the subconscious mind of its audience. This technique has been used in many types of advertising to maximize revenue. The message is generally short, visual, or audio and has no chance of being picked up by the conscious mind.
For example, the famous experiment done by researchers James Vicary and Frances Thayer in 1957 on “Eat popcorn” and “Drink Coca-Cola”. These subliminal messages were flashed across the screen in 1/3,000 of a second every five seconds to the audience during the screening of the movie. The idea is that the conscious mind cannot discern these messages and thus the subliminal directive is absorbed unchallenged into the subconscious where it can influence the thoughts and behaviours of the viewer. The results then reported a jump in popcorn and Coca-Cola sales of 57.5% and 18.1% respectively during those screenings.
The findings caused an uproar from the public, claiming that they were being manipulated unconsciously into doing things that they don’t do regularly like buying products that they didn’t need and choosing a new thing over the ordinary one they are used to.
Subliminals Can Be A Form Of Hypnosis
For a long time, the popular belief in the use of subliminal messages was that these suggestive statements were only understood by the subconscious mind. And the subconscious mind is considered as the main engine for the conscious mind. As a result, it is possible to use subliminal for all kinds of positive changes Therefore, subliminal is another form of hypnosis that affects the subconscious mind without going into a trance state. If you have an aversion to being hypnotized the old-fashioned way, perhaps subliminal messages will be the way to go for you.
Subliminal Self-Help
The concept of using any form of subliminal message, be visual, sensory, or auditory to improve some aspect of one’s life isn’t new. Research findings show that the effectiveness of subliminal self-help can be quite incredibly useful in helping people change old habits and overcome long term obstacles in their lives.
For example, if a person wants to quit smoking, he/she could listen to music that is infused with inaudible subliminal messages and imperceptible to the conscious mind. All this person hear is only the music, while the subconscious mind does hear and understand the messages within the track. Eventually, it should start sinking in and having an effect on your subconscious mind even though you are not consciously aware of them.
Are Subliminal Messages Harmful
Well, they can be. Especially those negative connotations due to their shady past in advertising and even in “satanic rock music” had given the use of Subliminal Messages a bad reputation and also there could be a potential cause of harmful effects if the creator has a hidden agenda.
However, these messages are not designed to control your mind like hypnosis. Instead, they will activate you in a way that makes it more likely that you will take action without realizing why! But every coin has two sides, subliminal messaging can be used for good and evil, it all depends on the user if it’s being used properly or not.
If you are keen to explore subliminal messages and their effectiveness, always make sure to listen only to those things which are beneficial to us and our life and choose those that are supported by scientific evidence that works.
