BEHAVIOR MODULATION
Tauhid Nur Azhar
In the bustling crowd of people walking and hunting for culinary delights on Ijen Street, Malang, I blend into the accumulated hum of the universe, formed from thousands of words uttered by thousands of people. Everyone speaks with various tones and frequencies, accompanied by a variety of intonations followed by body gestures that seem to convince and add pressure.
The accumulative intensity does not reach 80 decibels, but it becomes rhythmic, perhaps interfering with my brain waves until they are dominated by Theta waves. Waves between 4–8 Hz related to the coordination of memory storage processes.
While the sounds I can hear through my ears, besides being determined by their intensity, also have frequency conditions that can influence how the ears respond to them. The frequency of sounds that humans can hear is 20–20,000 Hz. Sounds below 20 Hz are called infrasonic, while sounds above 20,000 Hz are called ultrasonic.
The words echoing in that public space, although I did not specifically observe them, seem to influence my subconscious memory and become part of the information structure managed by cognitive mechanisms.
The weekend situation on Ijen Street makes me think about many things, in line with the many things I hear, and of course, see. So many structures, shapes, colors, letters, numbers, blending and mixing with the sound messages echoing from thousands of people. Is there a red thread from the various sensory signs that seem to attract various interesting events that only appear as a classic event?
Are there other hidden messages designed to enter our subconscious cognitive space, which usually works silently? Are these messages packaged in such a way without using words, colors, letters, or numbers that we usually receive when interacting with the world?
Such messages are known as subliminal messages, which are signals or stimuli designed to be absorbed by the subconscious mind without being consciously noticed. These messages are usually images or sounds that are too fast or too subtle to be directly identified. For example, in a visual advertisement, a brand’s logo might appear briefly between frames without us noticing. Or, in background music, certain messages can be inserted at a very low volume.
Research shows that subliminal messages can influence preferences and behavior. A classic study by Wilson and Zajonc in 1980 showed that people tend to prefer images they have seen before, even if they are not aware of having seen them. This phenomenon is known as the mere exposure effect.
There is a unique experiment known as the invisible Gorilla experiment. This experiment, conducted by Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris in 1999, aimed to test the phenomenon of inattentional blindness or perceptual blindness. The experiment aimed to show how people often fail to see striking objects if their attention is focused on a specific task.
The experiment’s methodology involved a procedure where participants were asked to watch a short video showing two groups of players, one wearing white shirts and the other black shirts. Both groups were passing a basketball.
The participants’ task was to count the number of passes made by the team in white shirts, so their attention was fully focused on this task.
In the middle of the video, an actor dressed as a gorilla enters the scene, stands among the players for a few seconds, beats his chest, and then exits the screen.
About 50% of the participants failed to notice the gorilla, even though the gorilla was visually clear and not hidden.
This experiment reveals that human attention is limited. When focus is directed towards a specific task, the brain can ignore other striking information, even if that information is within the visual field.
Theories supporting this research include the theory of Inattentional Blindness, defined as the failure to detect unexpected objects or events when one’s attention is focused on another task. This theory also shows that human visual perception does not fully “see everything,” but rather acts as an information filter based on the focus of attention.
There is also the theory of Selective Attention, based on Donald Broadbent’s filter attention theory. The brain is assumed to process information by selecting relevant data from a sea of incoming stimuli. Selective attention allows us to focus on specific tasks, but with the risk of ignoring important details that are not relevant.
There is also the theory of Change Blindness, which shows that people often fail to notice significant changes in their visual environment if those changes are not within the focus of attention.
Brain areas involved in the process of missing attention on objects that are not the focus of attention include the Prefrontal Cortex (PFC), responsible for selective attention and decision-making. The PFC determines the task focus and filters out information considered irrelevant.
The parietal lobe is involved in processing visual and spatial attention. In the Gorilla experiment, the parietal lobe prioritized the movement of the basketball, ignoring the gorilla as an “unimportant” stimulus.
As a sensory filtering center, the thalamus helps direct attention to certain stimuli while suppressing other inputs. This function is related to the role of the occipital lobe. Although this area processes raw visual information (such as the presence of a gorilla), this information is not passed on to consciousness because attention is directed elsewhere.
Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris (1999), the main researchers of this experiment, state that inattentional blindness is a fundamental aspect of human cognition, not just a “mistake” in perception. They emphasize that attention is a limited resource that cannot cover all stimuli in the environment.
Anne Treisman (1980s), who advocates the Feature Integration Theory, states that attention is the key to integrating various visual features (such as shape, color, and movement) into a coherent perception. When attention is not directed towards the gorilla, its visual features are not consciously integrated.
Michael Posner (1980) proposes the Attention Spotlight Theory, which suggests that human attention is like a spotlight illuminating a specific part of the visual field. The gorilla, although striking, is outside the spotlight of attention and thus ignored.
Daniel Kahneman (2011), author of “Thinking, Fast and Slow,” refers to this phenomenon as a result of System 1 (automatic processing) and System 2 (conscious processing). Focusing on the task of counting basketball passes is the work of System 2, so the irrelevant gorilla is only processed by System 1 and ignored by consciousness.
This invisible Gorilla experiment shows that people often ignore important information in complex situations, such as when driving or multitasking.
The principles of inattentional blindness can be utilized to insert subliminal elements. For example, hidden symbols or messages in advertisements are often not consciously noticed but still influence consumer perception at a subconscious level.
In the realm of security, such as at airport security checkpoints or monitoring passenger flow at stations and other public facilities, inattentional blindness can lead to failure in detecting threats, even if the threats are clearly visible.
Subliminal messages, whether intentional or not, involve several brain areas that play roles in memory, emotion, and decision-making, such as the amygdala. This part of the brain processes emotions, including responses to emotional stimuli from subliminal messages. For example, if an advertisement uses a certain color or symbol that triggers a sense of comfort, the amygdala helps create an emotional connection with the brand.
When subliminal messages continue to appear, the hippocampus encodes them as implicit memory, which then influences our preferences. Even though subliminal messages work at a subconscious level, the PFC eventually processes this information when we make choices, due to the memory stored in the hippocampus.
Research by Dehaene et al. (1998) used brain imaging to show that subliminal words that are not consciously noticed can activate the same brain areas as consciously noticed words.
Subliminal messages can even influence decisions through mechanisms such as priming. Subliminal messages prepare the brain to respond to certain products. For example, if someone sees a brief image of a soda drink in a movie, they might feel more inclined to buy a soda afterward.
By involving the amygdala, subliminal messages create an emotional connection with the product. For instance, a perfume advertisement might include a serene natural scene to create an association of tranquility with the product. Subliminal information stored in the hippocampus can then emerge as an automatic preference when choosing between two products.
One real-world example of using subliminal messages in marketing is the Coca-Cola experiment, where an image of a Coca-Cola bottle was inserted into a film’s frames. As a result, viewers who were unaware of the image’s presence tended to buy Coca-Cola during the intermission. In the marketing world, using subliminal messages becomes a very effective tool for increasing sales. However, this also raises ethical questions about how far brands should be allowed to influence consumers without their knowledge.
Some countries even ban this practice as manipulative. On the other hand, many major brands continue to use it covertly, arguing that its effects are more subtle than conventional advertising.
According to Daniel Kahneman, a cognitive psychologist, human decisions are often driven by fast, unconscious thinking processes (System 1), where subliminal messages operate. Robert Zajonc, known for his theory of affective primacy, asserts that emotions often precede rational reasoning in decision-making. From these concepts and theories, we can conclude that subliminal messages show how technology and psychology can influence human behavior at the most basic level. As consumers, awareness of this technique is the first step in making more rational decisions.
On the other hand, companies should start considering the ethical implications of this strategy. Advanced marketing innovations should not become tools for robbing consumers of their freedom of choice. Subliminal messages, with all their appeal and controversy, remain an intriguing puzzle in the relationship between neuroscience, psychology, and the marketing world. In the future, deeper exploration of this technology may reveal more secrets about how humans think, feel, and choose.
With the increasing intensity of multimedia exposure due to communication and information technology, subliminal messages can be designed to be embedded through various message channels and media. Subliminal messages can exist in visual form, through video broadcasts on YouTube, Instagram Reels, TikTok, Netflix, and even video clips uploaded on WhatsApp or other social media.
These messages can be hidden images or words placed in designs, such as an energy drink advertisement featuring a beach scene with ice cubes in a glass. When enlarged, the ice cubes form specific letters or symbols, such as “refresh” or the product logo. The goal is to create a subconscious association between the product and the freshness it offers.
Messages can also be embedded through flashing images, such as in a Netflix series, where a product logo appears for 1/30th of a second in a scene. Although not consciously noticed by viewers, the brain still processes this information. This can be reinforced by the use of hidden colors or patterns, such as a fast-food advertisement dominantly using red and yellow. Psychologically, this combination stimulates hunger and attracts attention without the consumer realizing it. Which fast-food brand that serves burgers and fried chicken comes to mind?
Subliminal messages can also use hidden sexual elements because sexual arousal is a strong motivator for adults who are sexually active. In the design of perfume packaging, line patterns or shadows form silhouettes resembling sexual attraction symbols. This technique is often used to create emotional associations related to reproductive stimuli.
The sounds I hear on Ijen Car Freeday or in the morning bustle of the Oro Oro Dhowo market could also contain subliminal auditory messages, right? But it seems that auditory messages are easier to embed in music compositions with genres that can attract millions of listeners, like those heard through apps like Spotify. Also, film scoring, which can even accommodate a multi-agent approach in delivering subliminal messages. Bollywood films shown on the T-Series channel can be an excellent medium for delivering subliminal messages. Equally good are the Javanese dangdut koplo music videos with hundreds of millions of viewers, such as “Sisa Sisa Cinta” performed by Diva Hani, or songs by OM Adella with her beautiful and charming singers like Irene Ghea and Difarina Indra. Not to mention the beautiful faces with unique vocal styles like Lala Widhy, Shinya Artinya/Gisul, or Suliyana, who often sing in the Osing language, and Della Monica, who is skilled in dangdut ska.
Hidden messages in background music can be found, for example, in songs used for advertisements, where repetitive messages like “Buy now” or “Fresh all day” are inserted at low volumes at specific frequencies. Consumers might not consciously hear them, but these messages still influence the subconscious mind.
The method of Reverse Speech (Backward Speech) is also commonly used, such as in radio advertisements with famous announcers like Kang Gilang Pambudhi from the national Delta-Prambors network, inserting promotional words that can only be identified when played backward. Although not directly noticed, the brain still captures this pattern. This model can also be followed by using Low-Frequency Tones, such as in convenience stores like Indomaret or Alfamart, where low-frequency tones (infrasound) are used to create a sense of comfort or urgency for customers to quickly purchase certain products.
The combination of visual and auditory messages can be achieved through the design of promotional videos or endorsements with hidden messages. For example, a promotional video for a beverage might insert words like “Energize your life” in semi-transparent text in one of the frames. Simultaneously, the background music adds a soft whisper with a similar tone to enhance the subliminal effect. This can be followed by product placement in films or series, such as on Netflix, where a main character indirectly shows a specific product (such as holding a cup of coffee with a clear brand), but it is not discussed in the dialogue. Viewers subconsciously associate the product with the idolized character’s lifestyle.
Visual message embedding can also be designed to be part of a company’s logo. For example, in the FedEx logo, there is a hidden arrow between the letters “E” and “X”. Although not directly noticed, this shape creates an association with speed and efficiency. This concept is not yet visible in the logos or icons of business entities or public service institutions in Indonesia. The logo of the national railway company, KAI, for example, might increase brand awareness but seems insufficiently intense in influencing purchasing decisions. The same goes for the Ministry of Health’s logo, which is crucial if it already implicitly conveys a subliminal message about prime health services and invites the development of a wise and healthy lifestyle.
The principle in designing subliminal messages is, of course, primarily understanding how the brain works and its various poles, right? The created message must be easily processed by the subconscious mind without requiring complex analysis.
Subliminal messages must be relevant to the theme or product being offered so that the subconscious association is relevant. Effective subliminal messages often require repeated exposure to reinforce the association.
Because emotional elements, such as comfort, happiness, or hunger, are more easily absorbed by the subconscious mind.
Now let’s imagine the significant implications ahead of us and the challenges they present.
Imagine if this subliminal message mechanism is combined with the filter bubble/bubble effect and echo chamber mechanisms, aided by the use of Next Generation Generative AI? Where previously, societal data from various segments have been identified, classified, and deeply analyzed using subsets of machine learning and deep learning such as RNN and variants of DL like the Empathy Variational Model (EVM).
Then, information-based interventions that go unnoticed become a powerful weapon of behavior modulation, right? People can be made to believe something, buy something, use something, or even hate something in a very subtle and unnoticed way.
