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Better living through subliminal messages

mondo2000.com

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Re: Better living through subliminal messages

#13
Back in High School (25 yrs ago, sheesh!) I did a research project on subliminal messages.

I found some MS-DOS TSR program that would flash messages on the screen at specified duration or frequency.

I told my test subjects (other students) I was testing if typing in vocabulary words helps learn them more efficiently.

I made up a set of 50 words and definitions. Each student got a random mix of words and definitions to type in, while other words were flashed on the screen subliminally.

I then gave a test which covered both sets of words.

I think I originally tested three different subliminal message durations, and one of them was showing a slightly-higher average test score.

I then realized I needed a control group, so I tested another batch of students without any subliminal messages at all. The control batch got the highest scores of all.

Don't remember details, but I did actual statistics on the data and failed to reject the Null hypothesis.

Ie - my conclusion was that flashing word/meaning subliminal messages didn't make any difference to testing those same words in a quiz.

It was a fun project, but I realized later it wasn't very scientific. The message duration would actually vary greatly depending on the model of monitor (the old CRT days). And I didn't really have control on how much time the person looked at the screen vs the keyboard.

But it was fun anyway. I was also chosen as one of eight high school kids to present at the local county science symposium too.

Re: Better living through subliminal messages

#15

Reading comments, it is not as black or white as it initially looks. There is definite effect that can be observed, with say 80+% of users. I can't overstate the importance of properly phrasing messages, wrong intention or phrase can be harmful. I am always very careful when trying to help customers how to phrase something. Either way it is not all shoddy and shows results. Author of http://smartcodehq.com/subliminal…

“It works, I swear” says the snake oil salesman.

Re: Better living through subliminal messages

#17
post #7

I'm extremely skeptical, but it might work for the tiny percentage of people who can be hypnotized.

I often hear people say they “can’t be hypnotized” because they tried it once and nothing happened. In my experience – which happens to match what I learned in hypnosis class – an experienced hypnotist can hypnotize anyone, so long as the subject is willing. Where the confusion comes in is that only about 20% of the public can experience what hypnotists sometimes call “the phenomena.” The phenomena describes any situation in which the subject experiences a full-blown illusion, such as seeing something that isn’t there, or feeling something that isn’t real.

http://blog.dilbert.com/2017/11/06/win-bigly-bonus-chapter/#...

Re: Better living through subliminal messages

#18

Reading comments, it is not as black or white as it initially looks. There is definite effect that can be observed, with say 80+% of users. I can't overstate the importance of properly phrasing messages, wrong intention or phrase can be harmful. I am always very careful when trying to help customers how to phrase something. Either way it is not all shoddy and shows results. Author of http://smartcodehq.com/subliminal…

“It works, I swear” says the snake oil salesman.

All of the comments on MAS are real user comments, read a few. I don't care if you are ignorant, but ignorant and rude makes dangerous combination.

Re: Better living through subliminal messages

#19
post #10

Subliminal messages have as shoddy a track record as homeopathy. At best this is a placebo effect.

I agree that this is likely no better than placebo. I'd argue that a systematic method for _self-aware_ triggering of the placebo effect (without having to pay anybody money for it) is fundamentally valuable.

I don't think they're saying that it's a different effect from placebo with the same effect size, but that it's actually the placebo effect. You can't treat yourself with something that you don't believe works and trigger the placebo effect.

Re: Better living through subliminal messages

#20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

“It works, I swear” says the snake oil salesman.

All of the comments on MAS are real user comments, read a few. I don't care if you are ignorant, but ignorant and rude makes dangerous combination.

Comments on a website should be an extremely low standard of evidence for someone as smart as you are.
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