Question

Visual stimuli can be flashed to briefly, below are absolute threshold for conscious perception, to enable us to process them. This is an example of __________.

1) Sensory adaptation
2) Subliminal perception
3) Selective attention
4) Absolute threshold

Answer 1

Visual stimuli flashed below the absolute threshold for conscious perception is an example of subliminal perception. Subliminal messages are detected by sensory receptors but do not reach conscious awareness, affecting behavior minimally outside laboratory conditions.

Step-by-step explanation:

When visual stimuli can be flashed too briefly, below our absolute threshold for conscious perception, yet we're still able to process them, this phenomenon is referred to as subliminal perception. A subliminal message is a signal or message designed to pass below the normal limits of perception. Although it's below the conscious threshold of sensing, research suggests that subliminal messages can affect behavior to some degree in a laboratory setting, although they have little effect outside of this controlled environment.

The absolute threshold is the minimum amount of sensory stimulation that must be present for the stimulus to be detected 50% of the time. This differs from a concept known as the just noticeable difference (jnd) or difference threshold, which concerns the ability to detect differences between two stimuli when one is changed in intensity, as explained by Weber's law.