Subliminal Messaging
Perception without Awareness
Psychology is the BEST Class!
Subliminal Messaging
 The registration of sensory input without
conscious awareness
 Limen is another word for Threshold - so
subliminal means “below the threshold”
 Controversy began in 1957 when hidden
messages such as “Eat Popcorn” were
placed in films
 Claim that popcorn sales increased 58% and
there was a public outcry
Psychology is Fun!
Subliminal Messaging
 Ever since “Eat Popcorn” controversy,
many books have been written
suggesting that sexual words and
pictures can be subliminally embedded
into advertisements to elicit favorable
unconscious reactions from customers
Ms. Sullivan is the BEST Teacher!
Subliminal Messaging
 Entrepreneurs are now marketing
audiotapes and videos containing
subliminal messages that are supposed
to help people seduce unexpecting
guests
 There are also subliminal self-help tapes
available for weight loss, memory, selfesteem, etc.
 Has become a $50 million industry
Psychology is the BEST Class Ever!
Backwards Messaging
 Religious overtones added in the 1980’s
to songs - suspicion of satanic messages
when rock songs are played backward
 2 assumptions
 1. the brain can be influenced subliminally by
garbled words whose meaning is directly grasped
by the subconscious
 2. the conscious mind translates clear speech into
reverse speech where the "true" meaning is
understood by the subconscious mind.
School is Cool!
AC/DC - Night Prowler
 …Ooh listen to me. I’m from
hell (gibberish) I’m the Lord
Lucifer. White Owl Yesterday.”
Brittany Spears - Baby one
More Time
“…sleep with me I’m not too
young..”
Beatles - Help!
“…now he smokes marijuana”
Eagles - “Hotel California”
 “…Yeah Satan (gibberish)
organized his own religion…”
Pink Floyd - “Empty
Spaces”
 “…Congratulations. You have just
discovered the secret message. Send
your answer to Old Pink in care of the
funny farm…”
Led Zeppelin - “Stairway to
Heaven”
 “…It’s my sweet Satan. The one
whose little path would make
me sad whose power is fake
(gibberish - 666) There was a
little toolshed where he made
us suffer, sad Satan…”
Disney and Hidden Messages
Psychology is Fun!
A Closer Look
This Class is Fun!
More Little Mermaid
Lion King
The Rescuers - a naked woman?
Other Fun Rumors
Alice in Wonderland, Snow White and Fantasia
Drug Trips?
Other Fun Rumors
Steve dies
from a drug
overdose!
Paul Pfeiffer is
Marilyn Manson!
Beatles - “I’m so Tired”
 “Paul Is Dead”
Does this look like the
same man?
Paul is Dead Controversy
 Backward Message - Final lyrics to “I’m so
Tired.” People have discovered strange phone
numbers on album covers and called them.
They received replies like "You're getting
closer" and "Beware of Abbey Road". Many
people started to believe that Paul McCartney
was in fact dead.
 Rumors of a Car Accident where car burst
into flames and Paul died of head injuries
(lost hair and teeth).
 Look alike contest was held - winner William
Campbell
Paul is Dead
 Rubber Soul
 Upside Down Heart
means “false soul”
 All members peering
down as if at or in a
grave
Paul is Dead
 Revolver
 First of covers with
open palm above
Paul’s head - signifies
departure
 “revolver” means the
revolving door
through which Paul
leaves and William
Campbell enters
Paul is Dead
 Sgt. Pepper Lonley
Hearts Club Band
 Faces and bodies of
many dead famous
people
 All Beatles are facing
Paul who is facing
toward a grave
Paul is Dead
 Magical Mystery Tour
 Paul is in black walrus
costume while others are
in white
 Walrus is a sign of death
in some cultures
 Word “Beatles” when held
to a mirror is actually a
number 2317438
 When called, said “You’re
getting closer”
Paul is Dead
 Hey Jude
 Picture above is
supposed to be a
picture of the place
where Paul is buried
 Paul’s hands are
clasped in front of
himself
Paul is Dead
 White Album
 Inside 4 pictures of
the Beatles - John,
George, Ringo and
William!
 On Poster Paul is in a
bathtub with head
tilted back and eyes
closed
 Small picture of
William on Poster
The White Album Contents
 Position of head
replicate accident
 Why the picture of
William Campbell?
Full Poster - White Album
Pictures of the Band - White Album
Paul is Dead
 Yellow Submarine
 Open palm above
Paul’s head again
 Submarine is
stationary under the
ground - very gravelike
Paul is Dead
 Abbey Road
 John dressed as
Preacher - Ringo as
Pallbearer
 Paul barefoot and out
of step - represents a
corpse
 License Plate on VW
says “28 if” and
“LMW”
 Hearse in background
Paul is Dead
 Let it Be
 Last Album
 Paul is the only one
looking right at the
audience
 Only one without a
white background
Paul is Dead
 Yesterday and Today
 George holding head
next to Paul’s (Paul
was supposedly
decapitated) and
there is a pair of false
teeth on Paul’s right
arm