Subliminal Responses

Functional MRI scans of university students were used to study their reactions to 'subliminal' images of frightened faces. Researchers found that a variety of people would have a reaction to the subliminal frightened faces, and that people who were overly anxious had a stronger reaction than others. Importantly, they found that it was the amygdala, a portion of the brain responsible for many subconcious actions, that was the source of the activity. They also found that all groups reacted similarly to non-subliminal images but with a different part of their brain.

original news source

People all over the world respond similarly to a fearful expression, even a photograph of one. In this case, the face appeared and disappeared so quickly the volunteers could have had no conscious awareness of it.

"Psychologists have suggested that people with anxiety disorders are very sensitive to subliminal threats and are picking up stimuli the rest of us do not perceive," said Joy Hirsch, who worked on the study.


"Our findings now demonstrate a biological basis for that unconscious emotional vigilance."

Truly interesting is it not? The subconcious reacts to these images, and in a greater degree for people with this natural jumpiness. And its all happening in the more 'primitive' parts of the brain, the sections that evolved earlier and that are responsible for automated primal functions.


columbia page on Dr. Hirsch
science direct
fmri.org

Nice find!

Recently science has had reason to be more than a little skeptical of subliminal messages. I'd like to see more research on this. Glad you reported on it!

he,he i'm not suggesting anything but check this out: www.abovetopsecret.com...

[edit on 23-12-2004 by jazzgul]