For the "Subliminal Perception" topic, you are required to read two articles. These articles are:
Vokey, John R. and J. Don Read (1985), "Subliminal Messages: Between the Devil and the Media," American Psychologist, 40 (November), 1231-1239, and
Moore, Timothy E. (1982), "Subliminal Advertising: What You See Is What You Get," Journal of Marketing, 46 (Spring), 38-47.
Rather than simply have you read the articles with no idea what to concentrate on, I decided to write these "notes" for you to pursue when reading these articles. These notes will point out the highlights of these articles and tell you what I expect you to get out of these articles:
When reading the article, consider:
1. The authors start by discussing what got them interested in how "backmasked messages" (what are these?) can influence people.
2. Pastor Greenwald asserts that rock music is contributing to the moral decline of America. He tours the country presenting seminars that "prove" that rock music is being used to corrupt youth. What is the pastor's biggest flaw in his "proof" of the effectiveness of backmasked messages? What is the "fallacy that presence implies effectiveness"?
3. What evidence that Wilson Bryan Key present to prove that sexual imagery in ads influence people? Is there a problem with this evidence?
4. The authors conducted an experiment to test the effectiveness of "sex" embeds. What did they do? What did they find?
5. The authors designed an experiment to test the effectiveness of backmasked messages. What was the objective of this experiment?
6. What can people get from backward messages? When a message is heard backwards can listeners (1) determine the sex of the speaker? (2) distinguish one speaker from another? (3) determine the language of the message? (4) get the forward meaning of the message? (5) whether the message was a question or a statement? (6) subconsciously understand the meaning of the message? (7) judge the "type" of message (Christian, satanic, etc.) (8) be unwittingly be led to behave in a certain way? How did the authors test each of these?
7. Can people "hear" backmasked messages that are not in fact present? What did the authors do to show how people can be led to "hear" backmasked messages even if none exist?
8. How did the public and media react to the findings of Vokey and Read? How do you think Pastor Greenwald's seminar would be received by most people in Duluth?
9. What is your conclusion about the existence of backmasked messages in rock music? What is your conclusion on their effectiveness?
When reading the article, consider:
1. What exactly is the definition of "subliminal perception"?
2. There are studies that have shown that subliminal stimuli can influence individuals (e.g., Zajonc 1980). However, in order for subliminal advertising to be effective just finding an "effect" of subliminal stimuli is not sufficient. To justify subliminal advertising effects, we need to find relatively "powerful and enduring effects on the buying preferences of the public."
3. The author, in this article, proceeds to examine the weak and strong claims of subliminal stimuli effectiveness. What are these? What existing evidence is presented in support of these claims? Can you claim sufficient support for these effects? Why or why not?
4. The problem is that all the subliminal effects that have been observed have been in closely controlled laboratory conditions. Why does this affect the study of subliminal advertising effects?
5. Are the two methods of presenting subliminal messages -- subaudible messages and embedded stimuli -- effective? Is one more effective than the other?
6. What is the author's conclusion about the effectiveness of subliminal advertising?