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This is a carefully designed study of a potential clinical application of subliminal stimulation. It is based on the observation that schizophrenics often mani fest a reduction in their ego impairment upon establishing a relationship that fosters a symbiotic fantasy. In such a fantasy there is a partial loss of differentiation between self- and object representations that can serve simultaneously to gratify libidinal wishes and as a defense against aggressive wishes. The technique of treatment used involves an assessment of the degree of ego impairment before and after the experimental manipulation. In this study, the verbal message, "Mommy and I are one," was presented to one group, and a neutral verbal stimulus was presented to a control group. The results were a significant reduction of ego impairment in the experimental group.
The authors also discuss their concern about the ethics of subjecting people to subliminal stimulation designed to affect their behavior. As in any such work, it is very difficult to separate and distinguish the effects of mere passage of time, the drug treatment going on concurrently, the general treatment regime, and the experimental procedure. In addition, the authors attempt to delineate the crucial