A neuroscientist at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience University College London, called Bahador Bahrami, has found through laboratory experiments that subliminal messages do indeed leave an impression on the brain. Using sophisticated equipment Bahrami's team of scientists discovered that the brain is aware of, and records, images that we are consciously not aware are there.

Bahrami had a group of volunteers view a computer screen while wearing 3-D type glasses. One lens was coloured red while the other was coloured blue. Faint images were shown to one eye while colourful, strong images were flashed rapidly at the other eye. Because strong images were being flashed participants didn't consciously see the other faint images and they went unnoticed.

Although the subjects were unaware that two images were being shown it was found through MRI brain scanning that the subliminal messages (faint images) were registered by the brain.

Even though scientists have always held the view that subliminal messages remain unnoticed and therefore subliminal advertising could not be effective Baharmi's study has shown that these messages are actually registered by the brain. Subliminal messages do get through even when we are unaware that they are there.

The scientists found that when participants performed routine or easy tasks the subliminal messages had a greater impact than if they had to perform tasks that took more concentration. They concluded that if there is spare attention capacity in the brain then the brain allocates that resource to the subliminal messages.

Bahador Bahrami has openly commented that subliminal advertising and the subliminal messages that they contain probably is recorded by the brain!

This may mean that when we are watching television or readin a magazine we are focused on the task at hand but the full resources of our concentration is not being used. At these times we would register, unconsciously, any subliminal messages shown such as in advertising!

The scientific team plan to conduct further studies into the use of subliminal messages to determine just how affective it is at influencing our buying habits. Bahrami also plans on investigating how words affect the brain when they are presented as subliminal messages.

So what does this study mean to those interested in the self improvement aspects of subliminal messages?

As can be seen from this study subliminal messages are recorded by the brain when we have spare attention capacity. At times when we are not using our full concentration skills, such as when we are performing actions that are automatic or do not require major attention, we are in such a state. Only when we are performing something that requires heightened attention would we be immune to the effects of subliminal messages because our attention is diverted from the subliminal messages (even though were don't know they are there).

For this reason many people seem to have great results from using subliminal messages that flash on their computer screens. This is probably also the reason why some self improvement audio subliminal messages programs come with brain entrainment tones. These tones force the brain to display alpha brainwaves which relax the mind and body and would free up the attention resources of the brain allowing the subliminal messages to be registered.

Through the use of recording techniques subliminal messages can now be produced in a way that focuses your attention on something that you are not even aware is there! It will be very interesting to read the results of the next experiments to be carried out at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience University College London to see, once and for all, just how affective subliminal messages are!