The way our brain and nervous system protect us from uncomfortable or threatening information helps explain how we respond to subliminal messages. Research has shown that people can receive, process, and even pass on information without ever being consciously aware of it. In fact, our unconscious mind can work completely separately from our conscious mind, and sometimes they seem to be at odds with each other.

When we encounter perceptions that feel threatening or are too difficult to process consciously, our minds often push them into the unconscious instead. This defense mechanism helps protect us from psychological harm that could occur if we had to deal with everything directly and consciously.