One of my favourite series of experiments relates to an investigation into free will. A participant is asked to press one of two buttons, with one button held in each hand. A brain scan (EEG or MRI) is used to map brain activity whilst the decision is made.
The study showed that brain activity can predict which button is to be pressed well in advance of the actual pressing of the button. Up to seven seconds in advance! The conclusion was that the subconscious mind was making the decision rather than the conscious mind.
A follow-up experiment showed that the participant could change the decision within the delay period (the seven seconds) if subject to another stimulus within that time period, although there was a point in time at which no further change could be made. The revised conclusion was that the subconscious brain prepared the decision making, with the conscious brain capable of overriding the decision.
To me this illustrates that we may be making many decisions subconsciously, although we think that our conscious minds are in control. This suggests that our thoughts and decisions are potentially open to influence from others without us even being aware that this is the case.
The influence of the subconscious is likely to underlie much of advertising. Particular brands and colours may well appeal to our subconscious minds through association, bypassing our conscious overrides.
The same may well be true of political campaigning. It has been studied that we are more likely to believe a lie the greater the number of times we have heard it told. Could this be due to a laying down of neural pathways in the subconscious?
We still know relatively little about the human mind. I suspect that we are more easily manipulated than we care to admit. We may think that we have freedom of thought. But how do we decide what to think about?