The basic idea behind the pseudoscientific subliminal self‐help industry is that you can change some aspect of your behavior if you let your unconscious process motivational messages (“you can lose weight easily”) that are sent to you “subliminally”—below the normal threshold for hearing. The process is said to be simple.

You put on a CD that seems to have soothing music or gentlewaves‐

breaking‐on‐a‐beach sounds and just relax. The subliminal messages will reach your unconscious and bring about some type of cognitive/attitudinal change that will lead directly to a change in behavior. The chief attraction is that you don’t seem to have to do any work to lose weight, improve your memory, stop smoking, raise your self‐esteem, etc.

Do a simple Google search for “subliminal self‐help” or “subliminal CD.” You will find dozens of sites. Examine two sites—one promoting subliminal techniques and one that provides a more skeptical analysis of them.

1. Consider each of the main aspects of pseudoscience described in the chapter. How does each apply in this case?

2. Even though we have not begun to discuss research design, you probably have some sense of what an experiment is like.

Design a simple study that might be a good test of the claim that subliminal messages can change your life.