Page 108 - Mind Games The Aging Brain and How to Keep it Healthy

92 • Chapter 4

number of times you hear or see a fact or notion. This is the
advantage of advertising. We remember what we hear and
see over and over and over. You may need a map or a set of
directions to visit a friend’s home for the first time. After a
few visits, however, you can find the way without the map
or directions. You may not have made a conscious determi-
nation to learn the way to her home, but the repetition
helped you learn the way.
A research study was performed in which tapes of word
associations were played to patients who were anesthetized
for surgery (with their prior consent). Testing later demon-
strated that the patients had subliminally heard the tapes. 1
This test also demonstrates the importance of talking to
patients who are unconscious, especially in an uplifting, en-
couraging manner. It also may explain why associating with
someone who constantly belittles you can seep into your
subconscious and then into your conscious mind, affecting
your attitude toward yourself. If you are trying to learn a
new language, it helps to play tapes of people speaking the
language. You can turn this technique to your advantage.