The Effect of Subliminal Messages and Suggestions on Memory: Isolating the Placebo Effect

• Other Authors: Takahashi, Kayoko (authoraut)
• Format: Others
• Language: English; English
• Published: Florida State University
• Subjects: Music
• Online Access: http://purl.flvc.org/fsu/fd/FSU_migr_etd-1732

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of subliminal messages and suggestions on memory. The participants (N =76) were students at a large state university in the southeast. The participants took a face recognition memory test with three different conditions; one was with a matched suggestion and subliminal message; two was with a mismatched suggestion and subliminal message; three was with neither suggestion nor subliminal message. A questionnaire was used to measure how much participants knew about subliminal messages, and how much they believed in the effect of subliminal messages. The participants used check sheets to answer the face recognition memory tests. A One-way ANOVA was applied to the research data to determine whether there were any differences among the three participant groups. A correlation analysis was also applied to determine whether the subjects' belief in the subliminal message correlated with their test score. The statistical analyses revealed that there was no significant difference among the three groups and no relationship between the test score and subjects' belief in the effect of subliminal messages. This study failed to reject both of the two hypotheses that the scores of participants' face recognition memory test would not be affected by either subliminal messages or suggestion. In summary, no effects of subliminal message or placebo effect were found in this study. === A Thesis Submitted to the College of Music in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Music. === Spring Semester, 2008. === December 12, 2007. === Memory, Subliminal Messages === Includes bibliographical references. === Jayne M. Standley, Professor Directing Thesis; Clifford Madsen, Committee Member; Dianne Gregory, Committee Member.