supraliminal

Supraliminal refers to stimuli and perceptual events that are above the threshold of conscious perception. The term combines Latin supra, meaning above, with limen, meaning threshold. In psychology, supraliminal stimuli are those that a person can clearly perceive and report, and that can be processed with conscious attention.

Supraliminal is contrasted with subliminal, which refers to information presented below the threshold of conscious awareness. Supraliminal stimuli are typically designed to be clearly detectable—visible, audible, or otherwise readily noticeable—and are processed with conscious awareness. They may be perceived through any sensory modality and can influence judgments, memories, and decisions in part through deliberate evaluation.

In research, supraliminal perception is used to study how conscious awareness interacts with attention and cognition. Supraliminal priming involves stimuli that are consciously noticed but still have an effect on subsequent thoughts or behavior. The effects of supraliminal cues are generally considered to arise from conscious processing, though they can also interact with automatic responses if a cue has strong associative strength.

Applications of the concept appear in psychology, marketing, and human–computer interaction. In marketing and design, supraliminal cues include explicit branding, clear messages, and noticeable cues intended to guide choices with conscious recognition. Ethically, supraliminal messaging is less controversial than subliminal approaches, since it relies on conscious perception, but effectiveness and influence still depend on context, attention, and individual differences.