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FILE SELECTED: Mere-Exposure Effect, 2 min.
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Mind & biases2 MINBrief fileEstablished evidence

Mere-Exposure Effect

The song did not change. After several plays, perhaps your response did.

01 / SUMMARY

In short

Repeated exposure to a stimulus can increase liking, especially when it was novel and did not prompt strong dislike. Familiarity often eases processing, though excessive repetition can also produce weariness.

03 / SCENE

In the wild

A previously neutral brand name may feel more pleasant after appearing several times in brief settings.

04 / LIMIT

The limit

Repetition does not guarantee liking or turn a clearly unpleasant experience into a positive one.

FINAL NOTE

What remains

When judging a new preference, separate observed quality from familiarity accumulated through repetition.

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Editorial review: 2026-08-06

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