Subliminal perception or subliminal projection refers to the presentation of stimuli below a person’s conscience awareness, in an attempt to influence behavior and feelings. It is a technique of extending information below the absolute threshold of sensation, or awareness. Messages, or stimuli, are received by the senses and retained below the sense of awareness. Messages played backwards have the ability to be recognized, but they have never had influential capabilities over people. An observer receives these specific subliminal messages subconsciously without realizing he or she even noticed it. However, there is no information that proves that people are able to learn new ideas through their subconscious state of mind. Only simple one or two word phrases can be processed, not difficult and complex statements. Stimuli that are too weak or too brief to be consciously heard or seen may be sti

The strongest subliminal self-help effect shown is at the best subliminally motivating people. The value of such an effect is questionable except in very specialized uses because of the fact that non-subliminal reinforcement methods are generally far more effective.

In his book, The Clam-Pate Orgy, written in 1980, Key proposed a more conclusive claim concerning subliminal projection. He claimed to have discovered additional subliminal advertisements hinting SEX. The title of the novel, however, refers to a pile of deep fried clams seen on a Howard Johnson's placemat. Instead of seeing seafood on the placemat, he instead visualized suggestions of group sex and bestiality. He described his perception of the clams as "a batch of succulent clams" (Key, Clam-Plate 11)

Currently no other experimental research supports the efficiency of commercial subliminal audiotapes and their supposed positive influence. Less research has been performed within this area. Every study that has been independently conducted on subliminal audiotapes has found behavioral effects of such tapes to be either explained by expectation, or mediated by expectancy to the point where the effect was insignificant if the person was not already motivated to change their behavior prior to the experiment performed. (Taylor, Learning, 43-45)

The subliminal advertisements took place in a movie theater located in Fort Lee, New Jersey where the phrases, "Drink Coca-Cola" and "Eat Popcorn" flashed on the screen while the movie was playing. More than 45,000 people were in attendance for the six weeks the experiment took place. The purpose of this experiment was to increase the sales of these two items at the theater's concession stand. As a result, sales of soda soared by 57.5% with popcorn sales increasing by 18.1%.

In 1957, James Vicary performed his well-known subliminal stimuli experiment, referred to as the "invisible commercial." The experiment was based on the theory of subliminal perception. If his hypothesis were true, it would allow advertisers to flash sales messages on television without the viewers being consciously aware of them. The plan of the experiment was for the messages to reach the audience subconsciously. Vicary believed that subliminal advertising would benefit the consumer because it would reduce the irritating commercials seen on television and allow more time for entertainment purposes. (Taylor, Communication 56, 59)

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