Subliminal perception refers to stimuli that influence thoughts, feelings, and actions without conscious awareness. Research shows that stimuli can be perceived even when indistinguishable from other stimuli. Subliminal messages have been shown to prime responses and stimulate mild emotions, though they likely do not produce strong or lasting behavioral changes. Different types of subliminal stimuli, like visual or auditory messages played below awareness thresholds, activate specific brain regions despite a lack of conscious recognition. The effects of subliminal messages vary based on gender and stimuli type.