Priming

Priming occurs when an individual's exposure to a certain stimulus influences their response to a subsequent stimulus. For example, exposing someone to the word "yellow" will evoke a faster response to the word "banana" than it would to unrelated words like "television." Because yellow and banana are more closely linked in memory, people respond faster when the second word is presented.

Priming is important in Pivotal Mental States as they induce a suggestive state, by priming correctly the direction of the subsequent neuroplastic state can nudged in a positive direction. This can be used by therapists in a clinical setting administering psychedelics by utilising the Pygmalion effect, which is a psychological phenomenon in which high expectations lead to improved performance in a given area.