We see them on movie screens, on television and even on digital platforms. Subliminal messages encourage us to buy a certain product or take a specific action, such as drinking a soda from a well-known brand or voting for a political party. However, does subliminal advertising really work? According to various research, subliminal messages can influence some people, although this depends on many conditions.
As Ian Zimmerman, professor of psychology at the University of Minnesota (United States) concludes, subliminal messages can have an influence, but this depends on many factors such as the mood of the audience or their predisposition to consume the product that is being used. announces.
On the other hand, subliminal messages leave an idea in the subconscious that the conscious cannot detect. The brain ignores the information because it is displayed for a very short time and it disappears quickly, so the message is not perceived. And while it is not known exactly how subliminal messages affect voters and consumers, scientists have been able to show that they work.
According to a study published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology, a group of researchers inserted a dozen frames of a can of Coca Cola and another dozen of the word ‘thirsty’ in a chapter of The Simpsons. Participants reported being more thirsty (about 27 percent more) after viewing the chapter.
However, as scientists claim, subliminal messages could work as long as they connect with an existing desire. Therefore, if a person does not have a specific need, the subliminal message may not be effective. Also, according to a study published in the journal Neuroscience of Consciousness, the influence of subliminal messages does not usually last more than 25 minutes.
Explained another way, subliminal ads trying to get someone off the couch to shop are probably not effective. In fact, as Professor Zimmerman assures, subliminal messages cannot force you to buy a product that you do not want or vote for a political party that does not represent you, since subliminal messages are not as powerful as we think.
