EFFECTS OF SUBLIMINAL AND SUPRALIMINAL STRESS ON SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY

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Abstract
Experiments (2) were carried out with volunteer subjects [Ss] to test whether the subliminal viewing of emotive material induced anxiety and its associated bodily symptoms. In 1 experiment 24 Ss looked at anxiety-inducing words presented singly through a tachistoscope under supraliminal or subliminal conditions, and in the other study 50 Ss looked at a neutral and an emotive movie film under similar conditions. Subliminality was insured in the 1st experiment by reducing the duration of exposure and in the 2nd by reducing the level of illumination. Ratings of anxiety were significantly increased under subliminal emotive conditions and reduced following subliminal neutral exposure. Correlations between psychic and somatic symptoms of anxiety were significantly higher under supraliminal conditions compared with subliminal ones. The possible role of subliminal stimulation in investigating the psychic and somatic components of anxiety was discussed.

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