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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 12, 2026

A Semantic Priming Event-related Potential (ERP) Task to Study Lexico-semantic and Visuo-semantic Processing in Autism Spectrum Disorder

A Semantic Priming Event-related Potential (ERP) Task to Study Lexico-semantic and Visuo-semantic Processing in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Published on: April 12, 2018

Unconscious task set priming with phonological and semantic tasks.

Sébastien Weibel¹, Anne Giersch, Stanislas Dehaene

¹INSERM, Department of Psychiatry, Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire, Strasbourg, France. weibelse@gmail.com

Consciousness and Cognition

|April 6, 2013

Summary

Unconscious stimuli can modulate cognitive task preparation when sufficient time is allowed. This study confirms unconscious information influences cognitive control over active task sets.

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Interaction between Phonological and Semantic Processes in Visual Word Recognition using Electrophysiology

Interaction between Phonological and Semantic Processes in Visual Word Recognition using Electrophysiology

Published on: June 29, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 12, 2026

A Semantic Priming Event-related Potential (ERP) Task to Study Lexico-semantic and Visuo-semantic Processing in Autism Spectrum Disorder

A Semantic Priming Event-related Potential (ERP) Task to Study Lexico-semantic and Visuo-semantic Processing in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Published on: April 12, 2018

Interaction between Phonological and Semantic Processes in Visual Word Recognition using Electrophysiology

Interaction between Phonological and Semantic Processes in Visual Word Recognition using Electrophysiology

Published on: June 29, 2021

Area of Science:

Cognitive Psychology
Neuroscience

Background:

The influence of unconscious stimuli on cognitive task preparation remains debated.
Investigating unconscious modulation requires careful control of stimulus awareness.

Purpose of the Study:

To determine if unconscious primes can modulate cognitive task preparation.
To examine the temporal dynamics of unconscious task set priming.

Main Methods:

Utilized a backward masking paradigm to render primes unconscious in all trials.
Conducted two behavioral experiments involving phonological and semantic tasks.
Varied the stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) between prime and instruction (84 ms vs. 36 ms).

Main Results:

Task set priming effects were observed at a longer SOA (84 ms), with congruent primes leading to faster responses.
No significant task set priming occurred at a shorter SOA (36 ms).
Repetition priming showed an opposing trend, differentiating it from task set facilitation.

Conclusions:

Unconscious information can modulate cognitive control for active task sets.
Sufficient temporal buffer between unconscious prime and conscious decision is crucial for this modulation.