Final answer:
Nelson's quicker response to green objects during an experiment is attributed to subliminal priming, which operates below the level of conscious awareness and affects his reaction times.
Step-by-step explanation:
Nelson is a participant in an experiment on campus where he has to identify objects that flash on a computer screen. His quicker reaction to green objects, without realizing it, is due to priming, which has influenced his subconscious. This effect on Nelson's response time is due to processing that occurs at the subliminal level of awareness.
The effect on Nelson's response time is due to processing that occurs at the unconscious level of awareness. This is known as subliminal priming. Subliminal priming refers to the influence of stimuli that are presented below the threshold of conscious perception, but still have an impact on behavior.
Priming can subtly influence our behavior, as shown by Nelson's case, indicating that stimuli we're not consciously aware of can still affect how we process information and react to it. This concept ties into both opponent-process theory and inattentional blindness, which are phenomena in visual perception.