Unconscious Priming of Task-Switching Generalizes to an Untrained Task

摘要: Evidence suggests that subliminal stimuli can influence ostensibly volitional, executive processes but it is unclear whether this highly task-specific. To address we used a set-switching task. Volunteers saw word pair and reported either if both words had the same number of syllables or were concrete. Task selection was random instructed by hexagon/triangle preceding words. A subliminally-presented square diamond reliably preceded each these consciously perceived instruction-shapes. Significant congruency effects observed in subsequent Test Phase which primes no longer predicted task (and high/low tones now served as conscious instructions). The Generalization required novel phonological (rhyme) semantic (category) judgments. Remarkably, unconscious priming carried over those participants who shown Phase, degree correlating across two conditions. In final phase study, asked to discriminate between originally presented prime shapes. Those whose discriminations more accurate showed reduced relative with less discriminations. results suggest that, rather than being specific, operate at level generalizable process greater awareness may lessen their impact on behavior.