Subliminal perception denotes to the occurrence of a stimulus at the lowest threshold. Subliminal perception occurs when stimulus is too weak to be perceived by an individual yet it influences the person (Dijksterhuis et al., 2005). As such, subliminal perception is not perception without awareness but it implies that stimulus influences a person at the lowest level since they can respond to it.
Subliminal perception arises from sensation and perception. Sensation refers to the process through which physical energy from objects in the environment or in the body stimulates sensory organs. The sensory receptor is stimulated to produce nerve impulses which travel to the brain that interprets these impulses like sound, taste, pain or visual images (Berstein, 2013). These physical stimuli in the environment produce energy that is used by sensory organs leading to sensation. Perception denotes to the process that the brain organizes information that it gets from neural impulses. The brain starts the process of interpreting and translating the information (Berstein, 2013). The process is essential as it helps people to rationalize and make sense of data related to the stimuli in the environment. Therefore, perception occurs when the brain processes information and gives it meaning through emotions and memories.
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The difference between sensation and perception can be identified through subliminal perception or the lowest threshold of sensing stimuli. As such, perception comes after sensation. The nerve impulses undergo a series of organization, translation and interpretation that form the basis of perception. When perception is finished, an individual makes sense out of these sensations (Berstein, 2013). Psychologists assert that sensation is a critical component of bottom-up process as it occurs when sensory organs transmit information to the brain. On its part, perception is a component of top-down process where perception occurs when the brain interprets sensory information and sends necessary signals to sensory organs to obtain response to the physical stimuli. Therefore, in subliminal perception, sensation may not occur due to weak perception sent to these sensory organs.
References
Berstein, D. (2013 ) Essentials of Psychology ; Chapter 3: Sensation and Perception. New York:
Cengage Learning
Dijksterhuis, A., Aarts, H., & Smith, P. K. (2005). The power of the subliminal: Subliminal
perception and possible applications. In R. R. Hassin, J. S. Uleman, & J. A. Bargh (Eds.), The new unconscious . New York: Oxford University Press.
