Cognitive Design

In my cognitive design class (starting up again at the end of this month at Northwestern), we spend time understanding how sensitive cognition (thought and emotion) is to small changes in environmental influence. A classical example is how subtle hints on how to look at certain pictures will completely change your perception. Look below – if you see faces, look for a vase and visa versa. 

A related and controversial topic is so-called subliminal advertising where consumers are exposed to messages they cannot consciously perceive but none the less impact their wants, desires, thoughts and ultimately actions.  Although scientific studies that support its effectiveness are hard to find, we will be reading a recent article on Subliminal Exposure to National Flags Affects Political and Thought Behavior from researchers at Hebrew University. 

“The results portray a consistent picture: subtle reminders of one’s nationality significantly influence political thought and overt political behavior.”