Subliminal priming of intentional inhibition.

•We presented subliminal primes in a modified Go/NoGo task.•Participants acted or inhibited an action, based on either instructions or their own free choices.•Subliminal primes could bias ‘free’ choice to act or inhibit.•Priming effects at inhibitory latencies were stronger than at facilitatory latencies.•Conscious, volitional self-control can be influenced by subtle external stimuli.