Subchance perception: Anxious, non-defensive individuals identify subliminally-presented positive words at below-chance levels

► Person variables predicted errors identifying subliminally-presented emotional words. ► Non-Defensive High-Anxious persons identified positive words at below chance rates. ► In Experiment 1, Non-Defensive High-Anxious individuals differed from other groups. ► Experiment 2 provided further evidence of subchance perception of positive words. ► Systematic below chance accuracy indicates unconscious inhibition or avoidance.