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Temporal Gradients of Responses to Subliminal Stimuli

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Abstract

This paper presents three experiments aimed at determining the duration of the effects of subliminal stimulation in a dis-crimination situation. Parts of two letters were shown supraliminally in a three-field tachistoscope. Subliminal completions of these letters were presented which were to be discriminated from two other equally likely alternatives not previously presented subliminally. The presentation of the response categories was delayed for 0, 100, 250, 500, 1000, or 2000 msec. The major results of each experiment indicated increased response probabilities after delays of 0, 100 and 250 msec. A tendency for more rapid responding to correspond to the selection of the subliminal stimulus was observed, however. Lengthening the time in which a response could be made did not increase response accuracy. A general model based on threshold changes of stimulated receptors is presented.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Portland State College, USA

    Gerald M. Murch

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  1. Gerald M. Murch
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This research was supported by a grant from the Deutsche Forschungs-gemeinschaft and was conducted at the Psychologisches Institut in Goettingen, West Germany. The results of Experiment I were presented orally at the XVIII International Congress of Psychology in Moscow, 1966.

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Murch, G.M. Temporal Gradients of Responses to Subliminal Stimuli. Psychol Rec 17, 483–491 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03393722

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03393722

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