What is the mere exposure effect?

The mere exposure effect refers to the psychological phenomenon where individuals tend to develop a preference for things merely because they are familiar with them. This effect suggests that as people are repeatedly exposed to a stimulus, whether it be a person, object, or idea, their level of comfort and positive feelings toward that stimulus usually increases.

In this context, the correct answer indicates that increased exposure typically leads to a more positive attitude. This is often observed in various domains, such as consumer behavior, friendships, and even music preferences. For example, someone might like a song more after hearing it several times, simply due to the familiarity that builds with repeated exposure.

The other choices reflect misunderstandings of how familiarity interacts with preference and attitude. While one might argue that familiarity could lead to a negative response in some specific situations, the overarching principle of the mere exposure effect is that, generally, familiarity tends to foster positive feelings rather than negative ones. Thus, recognizing the mere exposure effect helps us understand how social environments and repeated interactions can shape preferences and attitudes in social psychology.