Sublimal discrimination and the concept of vigilance

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Abstract
Ten experimental Ss underwent a procedure whereby a subliminal 500 c.p.s. tone (CS) was paired with photic stimulation (UCS). The “arousal” reaction of the alpha rhythm of the EEG was used as evidence of a CR. A subliminal tone of 800 c.p.s. and a 6‐per‐sec. pulsed subliminal shock were used to test for discrimination. Ten matched control Ss underwent the same procedure as the experimental Ss except that the 500 c.p.s. tone was never paired with the photic stimulation. Since experimental Ss gave the CR to the 500 c.p.s. subliminal tone only and not to the two neutral stimuli and control Ss gave no evidence of a CR, it was concluded that discrimination between subliminal stimuli occurs. The results of the study imply that some selective mechanism operates at a neural level whereby significant stimuli are attended to and non‐significant stimuli are not.