The words happy and angry were presented tachistoscopically in a mixed sequence of gradually increased subliminal exposures, each alternating with a drawing of a relatively expressionless but clearly visible face. The subjects' descriptions of the face were classified as clearly more pleasant in happy pairings than in angry pairings. Thus, the experiment demonstrated that the meanings of words, exposed below the threshold of recognition, were able to influence impressions of a clearly supraliminal figure. These influences were subject to modulation by response preferences and certain reaction tendencies, being less when their meanings were at variance with the subject's initial opinion of the face. Based upon analyses of the TAT protocols, the subjects most likely to be influenced by the subliminally exposed words were those who showed a greater tolerance for the passive role and an ability to maintain moderate distance from the conscious stimulus which allowed for greater flexibility and attentiveness to it.