There are various critical concepts in the case study whose success in application relies on how well they are defined. The critical evaluation of the case study would also require that the major concepts are defined adequately. For instance, it is important to note that the procedure of the videotape explains the steps from the start to the result in a comprehensive way. Furthermore, the case does an excellent job of giving a scope of what to expect as the result of the video test. Significant concepts and terms used in the case study such as the position of the conscious and unconscious mind have operational definitions. Contextual definitions of terms such as variables also appear in the case described. As such, this would help an individual to determine the meaning of the words as they appear in the case study.
The subliminal persuasion videotape continues to make several assertions which reveal the ability of the video to convince the particular user that they can achieve their goal, which in this case is quitting smoking. One of the fundamental assertions created is that the videotape can control the user's unconscious mind, which subsequently increases or motivates the user into achieving their desired goal of quitting smoking. Such an assertion characteristically appeals to the psychology of the person and gives them a heightened sense of belief that they can facilitate their intended goal. Despite the fact that it is the conscious mind that perceived the triangles, it is also vital to appreciate the assertion that the unconscious mind was the part that performed the perception process. As such, it is critical to appreciate that familiarity breeds fondness which means that the more a person interacts with a given process, the more they become fond of it. Using the case scenario, it would, therefore, be correct to assert that Carlos’ frequency of interaction with the videotape determines how well he understands the dangers of smoking. As such, the dangers of a given habit form the basis on which a person makes the decision to quit a harmful behavior such as smoking.
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Evidence
The evidence available from the case study emanates from the observations made from the entire videotape exercise. The procedural test presented in the video tests the user’s ability to acquire a state of conviction that can play an important role in persuading them to cease smoking. The test, therefore, appeals to the conscious and unconscious parts of the user's mind influencing them to stop the smoking habit. Carlos showed that he could spot the triangle from the video and this was evidence that the subliminal test would work to assist him in quitting the smoking habit. However, what is important to note is that the evidence can also be regarded as empirical. Empirical evidence is those which are premised on practical observations. Also, one would notice that the case does not conform to any previously held scientific research, but it can be considered scientific on the basis of one account. The perceptual processes described in the case study give an individual experience of the world that surrounds them.
Theoretical Explanation
The theoretical explanation given in the case appears to be successful because Carlos, at the end of the videotape, achieves the expected results. The explanation accorded to this is that the perceived triangles in the conscious mind of the user are excessively brief and could then possibly have been perceived in the unconscious mind. As stated earlier, Kihlstrom (2013), illustrated that familiarity plays a vital role in creating fondness in an individual’s psychological setting, and as such, this could have led to Carlos perceiving the triangle instead of the other shapes that had been depicted in the video. As a person becomes more accustomed to their choices, it becomes increasingly easy for them to achieve the goal of the entire process, which in this case is to build a persuasion against the smoking habit.
Another theoretical basis of the explanation could be made with reference to the functionality and meaning of the human perception. Human perception can be defined as the sensory experience that one has with regards to their surrounding environment, their ability to recognize stimuli, and the most appropriate responses they develop to these stimuli. The tendency of human beings to make decisions is closely associated with the way they perceive several individual experiences. The functionality of human perception is determined by the experiences found in the immediate human environment as seen in the case study how the videotape influences the perception of Carlos.
A critical theoretical basis that could be used in an attempt to give meaning to the events in the tape includes the familiarity of objects and processes in the environment. One of the steps in the procedure involves taking a moment to recollect and reflect on the different experiences one has in each and every single day. An example of such as experience would be having a sensational feeling on a touch of the skin, musical sound, or even the aroma of meals. Loersch, Durso and Petty (2013) intimated that such experiences, depending on how well they are perceived, are taken either the conscious or unconscious parts of the mind. It is upon an individual to determine whether to stop or repeat them. Such an experiment, just as the one concluded by Carlos, can influence one's decision with regards embracing or rejecting certain behavior.
References
Kihlstrom, J. F. (2013). 12 Unconscious Processes. The Oxford Handbook of Cognitive Psychology , 176.
Loersch, C., Durso, G. R., & Petty, R. E. (2013). Vicissitudes of desire: A matching mechanism for subliminal persuasion. Social Psychological and Personality Science , 4 (5), 624-631.
The Myth of “Subliminal Persuasion” (1957).
“ Misperception by those trained to Accurately Perceive a Threat”.
